JULY 10, 2015
Help for a
Heavy Load
Read:
Numbers
11:4-17
[The
men] shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it
yourself alone. — Numbers 11:17
It’s amazing what you
can haul with a bicycle. An average adult with a specialized trailer (and a bit
of determination) can use a bicycle to tow up to 300 pounds at 10 mph. There’s
just one problem: Hauling a heavier load means moving more slowly. A person
hauling 600 pounds of work equipment or personal possessions would only be able
to move at a pace of 8 miles in one hour.
Moses carried another
kind of weight in the wilderness—an emotional weight that kept him at a
standstill. The Israelites’ intense craving for meat instead of manna had
reduced them to tears. Hearing their ongoing lament, an exasperated Moses said
to God, “I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is
too heavy for me” (Num. 11:14).
On his own, Moses
lacked the resources necessary to fix the problem. God responded by telling him
to select 70 men to stand with him and share his load. God told Moses, “[The men]
shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself
alone” (v. 17).
As followers of Jesus,
we don’t have to handle our burdens alone either. We have Jesus Himself, who is
always willing and able to help us. And He has given us brothers and sisters in
Christ to share the load. When we give Him the things that weigh us down, He
gives us wisdom and support in return.
Who has come alongside
you? Have you thanked them?
God’s help is only a prayer away.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015