Joel M Bradshaw

19Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.–Psalm 68

David carried burdens. At one time, he ran from a tyrant king that wanted to kill him. David even had opportunities to kill this king and be free of the burden, but refused to touch the one God had made king. So he was a fugitive with a burden. David had a political burden. Once that king died, forces loyal to him went to war against David. David also had family burdens with disobedient adult children and one even rebelling and swaying the country against him. David would have to go to war against his own son. David also had the crushing burden of his own sin and shame after God caught him in his secret ways. When we read the psalms of David, we read plenty of depression and even anxiety. David had to learn to trust God even during the darkest of times.

So David used a Hebrew word in this verse to describe the daily activity of God. It was only used once in the entire Old Testament. It means to carry a load for another. You could also translate it as one who leads another carrying a burden. So David saw God as understanding the burdens David bore and as he led him, easing that burden in some way. This is the original meaning of salvation: a deliverance from the most dire of burdens. Hence David blessed God and called him his salvation.

So what burdens do you bear? Are they relationship or family burdens? Do they result from your sinful or selfish choices? Are they from your responsibilities? People face burdens related to work, debt, stress, grief, loss, divorce, infertility, and unemployment, among other things. A medical diagnosis or disease. Depression and anxiety are big burdens. Loneliness. Worry. If you are a parent you are used to carrying burdens for others and then watching them grow and realize the pain of beginning to carry their own burdens. Empty nesters have burdens for the ones who no longer live with them. Loved ones of prisoners. Families of military members. Victims of abuse. Addicted people in recovery. So many types of burdens.

So when we read these words of Jesus, we have hope. Matthew 11…

28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The one carrying a burden desires rest. They want answers and purpose and direction, yes, but they want rest. We want to know that God sees our burden and leads us as we carry it. We don’t carry this burden alone. God is with us. And furthermore, we are not surprised to read a command for how followers of Jesus are to treat each other. Galatians 6…

 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

So we who carry a burden know that we are not alone. We have Christian brothers and sisters who journey alongside of us. They help us to carry. We have pastors and counselors to willingly enter into our mess and help us to find perspective and hope in Jesus. And we have Jesus Himself who leads us in a way that gives rest. So the answer is to trust God like David did. Even though the burdens are at times crushing. We turn to God as our salvation.–JMB