One of my favorite movies is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I thoroughly enjoy watching it over and over again as well as rereading the books it is based upon. There are many admirable themes running through the trilogy but my favorite is the emphasis upon friendship.
Sam and Frodo are dear friends who embark on a dangerous and difficult journey. Frodo has volunteered to carry a ring, that wields influence for evil over its' possessor, to the fires of Mount Doom of Mordor. There it can be destroyed. Sam refuses to let him go on the journey alone. So they set off together. Toward the end of the trilogy Frodo is exhausted and wearied from the carrying of this "burden", the ring, and he falls to the ground as if to quit. In true friendship form Sam declares, " I cannot carry it (the ring) for you, but I can carry you". He then puts Frodo on his back and begins the arduous ascent up the side of the mountain towards the fires.
I am reminded of Gal. 6:2 each time I watch this scene. We are commanded in this verse to "bear one anothers' burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ". The Greek word in this text for burdens denotes a load that a person would not normally be able to carry alone. God is asking us to help others carry their loads that would be too heavy for them to carry alone. We fulfill the law of Christ when we do this. That is powerful!
Have you been there? Have you had a burden that was so heavy that you believed you wouldn't be able to bear it? Have you been so physically and emotionally exhausted that you thought you couldn't carry it one more day? I have been! And I'm sure you have been also. We are in good company in those situations. Moses is one such example.
In Ex. 17 Moses has instructed Joshua to lead the Israelites in battle against the Amalekites. Joshua does this while Moses, Aaron, and Hur go to the top of a mountain to watch. When Moses raises his hands up holding the rod of God in them the Israelites prevail. But when he lowers his hands holding the rod the Amalekites prevail. Verses 12 and 13 are so powerful! Moses' hands become heavy so Aaron and Hur hold them up "until the going down of the sun" and the Israelites win a victory over the Amalekites! Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses and helped him carry his "burden" when he lost strength to do it on his own!
What about you? Are you aware that someone this week is weighed down under their burden? Is there someone that you know is struggling to continue to carry their load due to physical or emotional exhaustion? What are you doing about it? Are you helping carry them as they carry their load?
I want to be a burden bearer. I cannot carry anothers' burden for them, but I can carry them! I want to be a Sam to the Frodos in my life! I want to fulfill the law of Christ! How about you?
.JPG)
