by Victoria Heinecke

Called to carry our neighbor’s burdens.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“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 11:29-30 New International Version

Our church has had a tradition for many years. At the end of Good Friday’s worship, we are invited to hammer a nail into a cross at the altar. This remembrance has helped us reflect on our sinful lives, and it stands as a visual display of how Jesus took our sins to the cross.

At the end of three services, there have been hundreds of nails in the cross. The cross is massive and heavy – another reminder of the physical burden of Jesus’ walk to his crucifixion.

“A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, … was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.”
Mark 15:21 New International Version

Simon may have had no idea what was happening when he entered Jerusalem. He may have heard the commotion and, out of curiosity, went towards the crowd to see what was going on. Suddenly, he was seized and ordered to carry a heavy wooden beam for a man condemned to be crucified.

Yet, Jesus was carrying Simon’s burden, along with the sins of the the world – past, present, and future. He knew from the beginning that this was what was going to happen, on this day.

The two men walked to Golgotha together, each carrying the load of the other.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2 New International Version

Our call as Christians is to help nurture and support those whom God puts in our lives. We are called to help our neighbor carry their life-loads. We walk with them, carrying their joys and sorrows, making their burdens a little less cumbersome. It’s during difficult times that we can experience the joy that comes from helping one another.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado