THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK DEVOTIONAL
The Heavy Backpack.
By Deborah Shaffer January 12th, 2016
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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.”
Matthew 11:28–30
The dad smiled as his child joyfully waved goodbye and joined his friends for day camp. But near sundown, the boy dragged himself into the house and collapsed into his father’s arms— dirty, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty.
“Dad, I can’t carry this anymore!” he sobbed, even as his father began to gently take the heavy burden off his child’s back. He had paid a high price for his son to enjoy this day, but now he was miserable. What had happened?
“I won this wonderful prize, Dad, and I wanted to give it to you. But I didn’t have any room left in my pack, so I couldn’t bring it,” the
boy explained.
Looking inside, the father noticed that the pack that began this journey with water and snacks was now filled with large stones.
“Well no wonder, son. Why are you carrying these rocks?” he asked, as one by one, he lifted the heavy stones from the pack.
Each one had a story. “That one was pretty, and I wanted it,” his son explained, “and see that muddy one? I really liked how it felt, and I had to have it. Oh, and those! Everyone else had one, so I wanted one, too!” It was all too clear what had happened. The boy had replaced the light for the heavy—and his pack had become an impossible burden.
Aren’t we like that, too? Each day we pick up the pack our Father prepares for us, filled with good things like hope, love, joy, and faith. We also have the Word of God—our nourishment—to sustain us through the day, but like that child, we exchange them for heavy burdens. Finally, our load becomes unbearably heavy with selfishness, pride, lying, and greed, and there’s no room for the righteous, good gifts that are so pleasing to our Father.
However, if we are wise, by the end of the day we return to our Father and let Him take our load. There we can confess our failures and leave them at His feet. He will always lift our burdens, and once again, refill our packs with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. These are gifts that please our Father and make our lives—and the lives of those around—us more enjoyable. After all, Jesus paid the ultimate price so we can have abundant life!
The Heavy Backpack.
By Deborah Shaffer January 12th, 2016
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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.”
Matthew 11:28–30
The dad smiled as his child joyfully waved goodbye and joined his friends for day camp. But near sundown, the boy dragged himself into the house and collapsed into his father’s arms— dirty, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty.
“Dad, I can’t carry this anymore!” he sobbed, even as his father began to gently take the heavy burden off his child’s back. He had paid a high price for his son to enjoy this day, but now he was miserable. What had happened?
“I won this wonderful prize, Dad, and I wanted to give it to you. But I didn’t have any room left in my pack, so I couldn’t bring it,” the
boy explained.
Looking inside, the father noticed that the pack that began this journey with water and snacks was now filled with large stones.
“Well no wonder, son. Why are you carrying these rocks?” he asked, as one by one, he lifted the heavy stones from the pack.
Each one had a story. “That one was pretty, and I wanted it,” his son explained, “and see that muddy one? I really liked how it felt, and I had to have it. Oh, and those! Everyone else had one, so I wanted one, too!” It was all too clear what had happened. The boy had replaced the light for the heavy—and his pack had become an impossible burden.
Aren’t we like that, too? Each day we pick up the pack our Father prepares for us, filled with good things like hope, love, joy, and faith. We also have the Word of God—our nourishment—to sustain us through the day, but like that child, we exchange them for heavy burdens. Finally, our load becomes unbearably heavy with selfishness, pride, lying, and greed, and there’s no room for the righteous, good gifts that are so pleasing to our Father.
However, if we are wise, by the end of the day we return to our Father and let Him take our load. There we can confess our failures and leave them at His feet. He will always lift our burdens, and once again, refill our packs with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. These are gifts that please our Father and make our lives—and the lives of those around—us more enjoyable. After all, Jesus paid the ultimate price so we can have abundant life!
THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK DEVOTIONAL
The Heavy Backpack.
By Deborah Shaffer January 12th, 2016
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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.”
Matthew 11:28–30
The dad smiled as his child joyfully waved goodbye and joined his friends for day camp. But near sundown, the boy dragged himself into the house and collapsed into his father’s arms— dirty, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty.
“Dad, I can’t carry this anymore!” he sobbed, even as his father began to gently take the heavy burden off his child’s back. He had paid a high price for his son to enjoy this day, but now he was miserable. What had happened?
“I won this wonderful prize, Dad, and I wanted to give it to you. But I didn’t have any room left in my pack, so I couldn’t bring it,” the
boy explained.
Looking inside, the father noticed that the pack that began this journey with water and snacks was now filled with large stones.
“Well no wonder, son. Why are you carrying these rocks?” he asked, as one by one, he lifted the heavy stones from the pack.
Each one had a story. “That one was pretty, and I wanted it,” his son explained, “and see that muddy one? I really liked how it felt, and I had to have it. Oh, and those! Everyone else had one, so I wanted one, too!” It was all too clear what had happened. The boy had replaced the light for the heavy—and his pack had become an impossible burden.
Aren’t we like that, too? Each day we pick up the pack our Father prepares for us, filled with good things like hope, love, joy, and faith. We also have the Word of God—our nourishment—to sustain us through the day, but like that child, we exchange them for heavy burdens. Finally, our load becomes unbearably heavy with selfishness, pride, lying, and greed, and there’s no room for the righteous, good gifts that are so pleasing to our Father.
However, if we are wise, by the end of the day we return to our Father and let Him take our load. There we can confess our failures and leave them at His feet. He will always lift our burdens, and once again, refill our packs with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. These are gifts that please our Father and make our lives—and the lives of those around—us more enjoyable. After all, Jesus paid the ultimate price so we can have abundant life!
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