The Hebrew writer was very definite when he instructed his readers to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:2).
Sin is so capable of causing us to be thrown off course. James said it has the potential for drawing us away (Jas. 1:14). Other terms like “enticed” and “ensnared” are used to describe sin’s affect on us. Also, when we are burdened with “weight” the work of the Lord suffers. Whether weighted by sin or any other element that has the potential for preventing us from living the Christian life or finishing our task here, needs to be dumped!
The disposition of Paul was to always be looking forward and pressing for something better (Phil. 3:14). He strove to put the past behind him and allow nothing to interfere with his primary objective of being a slave with total commitment to his Lord.
David indicated that there are some burdens that we are entitled to carry, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!” (Ps. 68:19). We must always qualify what we are doing and that which is allowed to impact our lives to see if it is for our betterment or serves as a negative.
With the present condition of our national economic situation, people are being forced to eliminate excess and unnecessary expenditures and debt. This may be good in that it forces us to give due emphasis to necessities and not luxuries. We eliminate unnecessary driving to save fuel. We take a second look at acquiring additional debt because of how it may impact our future. This works both for individual family budgets as well as the congregational efforts of the Lord’s church.
Have you ever made the statement, “I look forward to the time that when we go out to eat that the first thing we do not look at on the menu is the price”? Our Lord taught us to always “sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Lk. 14:28). There is never a time, nor do we have permission, to be wasteful with our time, life, or possessions. We are to always present ourselves before God as good stewards, responsible, and mindful of proper management of God’s possessions. When a ship is taking on water, first dispose of excess weight, then, when being forced to swim ashore, make sure we do not insist on salvaging our work-out weights!
— Mike King
