Weekly Devotion

July 13 2020

 A Heavy Load

 

Scripture reading: Numbers 11:4-17,NIV

Key verse: Numbers 11:17, They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.

 

     I read an article some time ago that said how amazing it was what you can haul with a bicycle. An average adult with a specialized tailor and a little determination can use a bicycle to tow up to 300 pounds at 10 mph. There was just one problem: Hauling a heavier load means moving more slowly. A person hauling twice that amount of load would only be able to move at a speed of about 8 miles in an hour.

     Moses carried another kind of load in the wilderness, an emotional weight, that kept him at a stand still. The Israelites extreme craving for meat instead of manna had brought them to tears, complaining about what they had left in Egypt. Hearing their continuous complaints and wailing, an irritated and frustrated Moses said to God, “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me” (Num. 11:14).

     By himself, Moses lack the things necessary to fix the situation at hand. God responded by telling him to select seventy men to stand with him and share his load. God told Moses, “They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone” (11:17b).

     As followers of Jesus, we don’t have to carry our burdens alone either. We have Jesus Himself, who is always willing and able to help us. He has given us brothers and sisters in Christ to share the load. We don’t have to fight COVID 19 alone because the whole world is right there in the struggle to find a cure. We don’t have to fight social injustice alone because the whole world is protesting the systemic injustice experienced by our black brothers and sisters. When we give Him the things that weigh us down, He gives us wisdom and support in return for whatever our heavy load may be.

Father God, we first give you thanks for always hearing our prayers. We thank you for the ones that you send to stand along beside us as we face our many struggles. When Moses was at his wits end you gave him 70 men whom you gave some of the power of the Spirit that was on him to them so that he would not have to carry the load alone, let it also be with us. Where ever we may be or what ever is heavy on our hearts, God we know that your help is only a prayer away. Give us your wisdom, give us your peace, in Jesus name. Amen