by Pastor Mark Moreno
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus cheats death and it earns him eternal punishment in the underworld, once he dies of old age. The gods forced him to roll an immense boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down every time it neared the top, repeating this action for eternity.
While we know this is only mythology, it serves as a strong image for how life can feel for each one us. Today’s image isn’t quite Sisyphus rolling a large boulder, but it is a modern day version of what it means to carry a burden that seems to have no end.
What burden are you carrying today? Did you do something that you wish you could undo? Did you say something you wish you could take back? Do you have regret and remorse for things in the past? Or are you facing uncertain consequences of your behavior?
Those are “heavy” questions for sure! I know I have had moments in my life where I answered those questions with a resounding “YES”. Those burdens can often be exploited by the devil to compound the pain. He wants us to doubt that things will ever get better and he hopes we despair.
The truth of the matter is that our Lord Jesus does NOT let the burden of sin destroy us. He took that burden upon Himself and offers you and me relief, forgiveness, life and salvation!
One of my favorite passages of scripture, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, reflects this:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
No, we are not doomed like Sisyphus, we have a sure and certain hope: That in love, Jesus carries our sin and burdens, so that we may know what true forgiveness is!
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
