Years ago, our family was getting ready to take a trip to Texas to visit my grandmother in Dallas. My folks had
purchased a lightly used 1959 Plymouth station wagon and we were going to finally have all the room we
needed for us three kids. It was a great car, but it didn’t have air conditioning. My Dad borrowed a contraption
from a friend of his that was a fan unit that blew air through a space where you could load ice. And the idea
was that it would produce cool air for your trip. Well, the first day was going to be through the Mojave Dessert
and now we were going to beat the heat. So the night before we left, Dad was setting up the unit under the
dashboard and I was watching the whole procedure. My little brother jumped into the front seat and was
pretending to drive our car all the way through the desert and to Texas. He was playing with the steering wheel
and pretending to shift gears and just having a great time. We got started the next day and we had ice in this
unit and ice in a chest to reload it when needed. Well, the unit did put out some cool air, but the car just stayed
hot! And the ice melted so fast we had to stop a couple of times to buy more ice. We went through the Mojave
desert feeling pretty miserable but finally got to our motel for the night. I was with my Dad as he looked at this
unit that night and then he looked up at the controls for the outdoor vents and heating. I saw it when he did.
The knob to turn on the heater looked like a little gearshift knob…and it was turned to high heat! My brother
had used it as his “gear shift” while play the night before. We crossed the Mojave Desert that day with the car
heater on! I’ve thought about that and realized that we do that kind of thing all the time. God promises that he
will walk with those who have received his love and forgiveness, but so often we just won’t let God “cool us
off”. He tells us that when we are weary and burdened in life…we can come to him. And when we do, he will
share the load with us and the burden we carry with him is indeed light. You don’t have to bear all the heavy
burdens of worry, fear and anxiety. God invites us to come and let him take that load alongside you. To not
allow him to do that…well it is like crossing a desert in the summer with the car heater on. You can do it…but
you are going to miserable! Take God up on his offer and experience the freedom that comes when you learn to
let him bear those burdens with you. It can take you from fear and frustration to freedom and even fun in life!
Oh…and if you are crossing that desert…do take a look at your climate control in the car…
Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Remember I’m praying for you…
With love, Pastor Joe
Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Remember I’m praying for you…
With love, Pastor Joe