It occurs to me that there is only so much that I can carry. It is in human nature to carry all that we can. In fact I often carry too much. Too much to do, too many tasks, too many agendas, too many worries, too many… It is just how I seem to work. In the carrying of all of these things I am often not in the moment. I am focused on the tasks ahead. I remain often worried that I will leave something important behind.
So I can walk into worship with the same attitude. What can I take away from worship today? A new tidbit, a sweet morsel of truth, a moving experience with God, but the reality is I have trouble being in the moment. I am so loaded with stuff on my plate I cannot possibly carry one more thing. In fact I cannot even focus on the moment. So as I consider the question, “What did I get out of that service?” I hear a better question, “What can I lose in this service?” As I approach the foot of the cross I need to ask, what burden can I lay down, and what portion of my agenda needs to be abandoned. What grudge can I release? What pang of envy resides in the corner of my heart? What hurt can I lay down? What anger needs to be released? What insecurity drives my needs?
I finally approach the altar with a simple prayer. “O Lord, make in me a pure heart.” It hits me that I can not carry anything away from worship unless I am willing to lay something down first, because my arms are full. I am so loaded that I cannot carry one thing more. Full of all the wrong stuff and Jesus says to me “lay that stuff down here before me and I will take care of it. Be willing to leave empty and I will meet you on the road. I will meet you and you can live in the moment” Once I lay down these burdens I finally have clear eyes to see. I have an unburdened heart so that I can hear.
It reminds me of when Jesus is teaching the people and he tells them. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).
My own rest depends on my willingness to lay down my burdens before Christ. Christ is not an uninvited guest who will wrestle away from us our burdens. He actually reminds us of what is important. He touches us in the midst of our unknown brokenness and asks us “will you be healed?” So if we say, “Yes” and lay down our burdens, we become able to bear witness to the world. We leave worship unburdened and able to liven in the moment ready to be Christ to a hurting world.
