Lay Aside Every Weight

Please remember to worship our Almighty God today.  Every gift we ever received is from Him.  Our Lord is full of glory and might and power; and He is gracious and merciful to those who love Him!

 Lay Aside Every Weight

I would have thought I was used to walking the distance from the hospital parking lot to Mom’s room by now.  After all, it’s been about two weeks now.  My body is still not used to that walk. 

It’s an uphill walk.  Of course, it doesn’t help that I’m carrying my purse, a tote bag, and usually a shopping bag with snacks or some other thing Mom or I need.  Yesterday the extra item was my laptop.  Extra items mean extra weight. 

Weight.  I thought about weight yesterday when I climbed the hill.  Hebrews 12:1 talks about weight, doesn’t it?  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Do we ever try to run our Christian race carrying all the extra weight of life’s burdens?  Things that slow us down - that hinder our running. 

What could some of these things be?  Maybe regret, guilt, or shame.  I don’t know about anyone else, but sometimes old sins still haunt me.  What about hurts that haven’t healed, fear, grief, or low self-esteem?  All of these things can weigh us down. 

 Then there are our responsibilities - the duties of everyday living.  Say the car breaks down, or our child is sick, or we just lost our job – this adds stress to our lives.  These weights could slow us down or tempt us to stop running altogether.  Oh, the devil would love nothing better!! 

We can’t let that old liar win.  Remember Romans 8:1?  Paul wrote “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  There goes guilt, regret and shame!  Lay aside that weight.

If we are grieving a loss or hurting for any reason, we can remember Ps. 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”  Trust Him.  Let it go.  It hinders our race.  I know how difficult it can be, and I know grief is a process.  It takes time.  Please our God is always there to help.

What about those who are fearful or have low self-esteem?  Don’t let these things weigh you down!!  Consider Hebrews 13:6 “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” 

As Christians, we belong to Him; He is on our side!  The inspired Paul wrote to Timothy “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim. 1:7).

As for all those responsibilities and stresses we face Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

Lay aside every weight.  Put it all down at His feet.  He will give us the strength to run.

Christ above all things - Robin