"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith."(Hebrews 12:1-2)
Most days, if I'm being honest, I wake up encumbered. So the minute my feet hit the floor I'm already holding something. Let me digress for a moment and have you picture yourself actually physically carrying whatever that thing might be for you. Now hold onto that image, we'll come back to it later.
So as I was saying, I usually start out the day holding something. But wait a minute, that's not the end of it, because as the day progresses I always end up picking up other things. Whether inadvertently or on purpose I grab up both superfluous as well as very relevant, important things constantly and make an attempt at holding them. If it catches my eye and my attention for any reason it gets stacked up right along with the rest, until finally my arms and all my pockets are full of "Stuff". Like I said some of it may be important, but some not so much. Some may be things I was supposed to hold, some not so much. Some may be very light and easy, others not so much.
Now go back to that image of yourself holding whatever you wake up with every morning, add to that everything you pick up during a normal day, then take another look. If you are anything like me you probably look pretty silly. In addition to the two or three really important things I'm holding, I've picked up so much junk along the way that it's hard for me to step back sometimes and remember what's real. I have an empty can or four, maybe a McDonalds cheeseburger wrapper, last weeks Sunday paper, a broken umbrella, a two day old French Fry I found in the backseat, someone else's discarded suitcase... Starting to get the picture? Not only are most of those things unnecessary junk, but some of them aren't even my junk! Some of them I was not ever meant to pick up, much less try to carry. Jesus has a word for us to remember so that we can be certain it's not only ok to bring those things to Him, but also to let them go. Our yoke is His love and our burden to carry is in obedience to His Love for others, that's about it. They are both light and easy and we find our rest in Him. So throw off all the junk, unless of course you're the Garbage Collector.
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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." (Matthew 11:28-30)