"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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."
This is what Jesus said in Matthew 11. I have highlighted the word "burden" that Jesus used in this verse twice. The Amharic version uses the word shekim. Jesus is basically saying if you are burdened, come to me. I will take off that burden but give you another one.
That begs the question why we have to give up one burden just to pick up another. Part of the answer is found in the verse itself. He said his burden is light. Burden and light, except in this verse, are two words you don't find in the same sentence.
People are burdened with a lot of things. More often than not they are burdened with things they would rather not carry such as addiction, depression, worries etc...These are burdens that cling to people and don't seem to want to go away. These are the type of burdens that Jesus will give us rest from.
What about the burden he will give us? First of all he said it is light. Second, that is a burden that we pick up willingly. Paul in Romans Ch 13 talks about the debt of love. That is what this burden is all about: the burden to love. This is the burden Jesus carried and wants to teach us to carry. It is light and it is one you and I should want to carry.
I don't know which burden you are carrying. The heavy or the light? If you are carrying the heavy burden, listen to his call: All you who are weary and burdened, come to me.
I will give you rest. Jesus |