That’s Not What I Meant

I can’t tell you how many times I have been misunderstood. I would bet that we have all experienced this frustration many more times than we would like. People can’t help but judge our motives from what we say and do. But since they don’t know our hearts, their judgments of our intentions is far from infallible. The same is true of us when we try to judge the motives of others from appearances.

I Kings 8:39-40 says, “then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.” God alone knows our hearts, so He alone can judge our motives and desires. Our actions may fool some people into believing we are doing good, but God knows and understands what is really going on inside of us. He alone can forgive us when we call upon Him and confess our bad intentions.

Redemption

Today, we only have limited experience with redemption. We can redeem coupons at a store to receive a discount, meaning someone else is covering the cost of our discount. We talk about redeeming time or an opportunity, meaning we are making the best use of that which we are using. In other times, however, redemption was a term used in connection with the dreadful practice of slavery. Someone would pay a price to redeem a slave, sometimes to set them free.

Ephesians 1:7-8 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” God richly and abundantly gave us grace and mercy by offering His own Son’s blood to redeem us from slavery to sin. The price was precious to the Father, the Son and to us. This redemption moves us from slavery to freedom in Christ, from darkness of evil to the light of the Father, from hopelessness to bright hope, from death to life, and from destruction to eternal life.

But to take advantage of this redemption, we must receive the Father’s gift of payment for us. We cannot achieve redemption ourselves. But we can receive the Father’s redemption on our behalf by trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

A Sherpa’s Load

I was trekking in the Himalayan Mountains. We were on a popular trekking trail called the Annapurna Trail. It was a steep inclined and I stepped to the side often to take a breather. I thought I was doing well until I saw one Sherpa man. He was climbing the same trail but had a huge burden on his back that appeared to be very heavy. Someone had to carry the supplies that the mountain village people needed. Looking closer I saw that he was also barefoot. I was embarrassed by my weakness and groaning.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of carrying the burdens of others, as all our sins were laid upon Him. The burden He carried is one that we could not carry ourselves. If we are not participating in helping to carry the burdens of others, we are not fulfilling the calling that God has upon our lives. Life is hard and people need help with the burdens placed upon them and the ones that they take upon themselves. Let’s be like that Sherpa man and help to carry the burdens of others.

Overwhelmed

In Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” It is easy to become overwhelmed by our circumstances and responsibilities. God has never wanted life to be like that. He stands ready to carry the load for us. He will humbly carry this load if we will humbly admit that we need His help and turn it over to Him.