Heavy Burdens

God has blessed me with some vacation time this month. My wife and two oldest children are away right now which has left me alone here with my four year old son Preston until Tuesday. He's a cool kid and its great to be able to place all my attention on him. It gives us the opportunity for adventure! Today's adventure led us to worship at a church in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, just a few blocks south of Wrigley Field. First of all, we did worship God and hear Christ's gospel and not the Gospel according to Harry Carey. Second, I'm always amazed by all the life and excitement constantly happening around Chicago, even on a Sunday morning. Throngs of young adults were jogging along Lake Shore Drive. The beaches were filling up. Life was everywhere. Some of that life was even in a church.

The preacher's sermon was based on one of my favorite passages from Matthew: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30)." These are words of refreshment and freedom from Christ, but the pastor reminded me that deep down in our souls we don't want to give up those burdens we carry. We hold on to them, sometimes to our last breath, valuing our so called independence over the rest Christ freely offers through discipleship. On the surface the yoke, or cross, of Christ looks terribly painful; but after some soul searching we realize Christ's cross looks painful because we have made our burdens the center of our existence.

After the service Preston and I played for a while at a school playground across the street of the church and had a picnic lunch. Preston wondered where all the kids were. He was the only one around under the age of 10. That's not to say we were alone there in this small, urban school playground. There were dozens of twenty-somethings sunbathing, playing frisbee, walking their dogs, seeming to have lots of fun. I wondered if any of them were burdened. I wondered if they were curious about the music coming out of the old church across the street.

Yes, today was a good day. My parents celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary with two of my kids. Marriage is a great example of how blessings come to those who let go of their burdens and learn to love selflessly. Fatherhood works that way too. My days would be a whole lot different if Preston was not here with me. They might even be different if I wasn't married. Not that I would be sunbathing... but I might join the dudes who were gathered around the benches watching the show. To the young and single that's what life is all about. Husbands and fathers know better. They have learned through experience that life's greatest blessings come through giving your life to serve and love others. I know I've experienced that and maybe, just maybe, I can indeed see that Christ's yoke is easy and his burden is light. Real freedom and rest comes through faith. I wonder what adventure Preston and I will have tomorrow?