Throwing it down!

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

-John 10:10 (NRSV)

So many times I have trouble laying things at the feet of Jesus. Much like Moses standing at the burning bush holding his shepherd's rod...God asks us to throw it down. For when we throw it down it becomes a snake and when we pick it up it becomes a rod again. The following devotion was written by a preacher in Fiji. It touched my heart.

One afternoon as I was driving home from my pastoral work, I met two men who were returning from their gardens. Both men were carrying heavy loads of fresh produce. I stopped on the roadside and offered them a lift in the back of my van.

After driving for some time, I noticed the men were still holding their heavy loads on their laps and not on the floor. I then asked them, "Why don't you set your loads down on the van floor?"

To my surprise one of the men answered, "We did not want to make your van dirty."

Even when we are invited, we are sometimes reluctant to lay our burdens down. I started to think about this in regard to our relationship with Jesus Christ. We come to church, we participate in Bible studies, we attend prayer meetings. But we are not willing to unload our sins on Jesus, who invites us to let go of what weighs us down.

Jesus is able and willing to help us with our daily burdens. When we are set free by his love, we can find the joy and meaning that God desires for us.

Anil Reuben (Suva, Fiji)

A shepherd's rod was a thing of status and comfort. It demonstrated hard work and wear. It granted a sense of pride and it was a piece of wood that was familiar to the shepherd. It took a great deal of faith for Moses to throw it down. When we take a step of faith and throw down our shepherd's rod, the rod no longer belongs to us...it becomes the rod of God. With the rod of God, you can turn the Nile river into blood, you can charge your protests against Pharaoh, you can part the Red Sea, you can strike the rock and water will flow, and with the rod of God you can set the people free.

So, join me in throwing down our burdens and letting go of that which so easily entangles us...our sin. You know I love ya - Don