The Burden-Bearer

I asked the Lord, "Please help me to be a Burden-Bearer - to help others bear their loads". Then I realised what a poor job I was doing bearing my own burdens. If I could not bear my own burdens alone, how could I ever hope to bear the burdens of others?
Then, I changed my prayer to, "Lord, help me to point others to the Great Burden-Bearer". [Jesus] said "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden" (bearing burdens) "and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light". (Mat 11:28-30)
Isaiah had prophesied of Him, "Surely, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." (Isa 53:4) In other words, in spite of the fact that He had borne the griefs and sorrows (burdens) of the whole world, His work would be ignored by most. They would go on trying to bear their own burdens, in total disregard of the fact that He had borne them for them. How needless!...
While I can give assistance in bearing physical burdens, give moral support, and speak words of comfort and encouragement to those who are carrying them, I can never actually bear their real burdens for them. I can only point them to the One who has, and can.
The words of the chorus I had heard so many years ago ring true, "The world's Burden-Bearer is Jesus. Your Jesus. My Jesus." But we must personally cast our own burdens upon Him. He is as close as the mention of His name. I point you to Him today.

- Handy F. Nevers