Rest Beside the Weary Road

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be on a blogging break, but I needed to share something that really touched me from Sunday's church service. 

One of the reasons I love Christmas is because of the traditional carols. I know we all love them, but have you every really paid attention to the words? The versus are so RICH with life giving text.

This verse from It Came Upon a Midnight Clear especially stood out to me:

O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing

Maybe it's because of the last year and a half of my life has been turbulent or maybe because I know a few people in my life that are struggling very much right now.


The imagery is so strong. I see someone (myself even) walking along a road with a load of so large, I have to walk hunched over, head down, unable to think about anything except each slow and painful step. 

The weight of the world (expectations of ourselves, of others, care giving, grief, finances, health, schedules, commitments, sadness, anger, depression, anxiety, addiction, broken relationships, regret, guilt, and whatever else) is crushing, yet we have to go on.

BUT

We were never meant to carry such a load. The Lord came to earth, and died for all of that load we carry! He came to take our burdens if only we would cast them on Him.

That is the Good News!

I Imagine someone (myself even) walking along a road with the heavy load suddenly surrounded by the angels who announced the birth of the savior. I Imagine throwing off the load to the side of the road and resting, maybe even using the load as a chair or bed and basking in the glory of the heavenly hosts singing and praising Jesus!

Rest.

Sweet Rest.

I pray for you to find rest along this weary road of life.

And now... for real... I'll be back in January -- like mid January.

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