Sharing the Savior’s Story

Lay Your Burdens Down

A lawyer moved into a new community, hung out his shingle, and buried himself in his new practice. In the morning and evening, townspeople would watch him walk alone to his practice. His head would hang, his shoulders stoop, and always there was an expression of sadness and sorrow upon his face. One day the lawyer did mange to confess to a Christian artist that, when he was just starting out, he had committed a grave error. Yesterday’s sin was still stalking him, even now. The artist listened; he gave no guidance or suggestions, at least not then.

Weeks later, he did invite the lonely lawyer to see a new painting at his studio. The attorney arrived for the viewing and was led to a portrait, displayed by the window. There he saw a picture of himself. It was himself, but it was different. In the picture he was standing with his shoulders back, his head lifted up, and a look of hope was shown in his smiling face. Behind him, in the background of that picture, was a hill, and on that hill an empty cross. At the foot of the cross had been placed, along with many others, a great, heavy package.

Evidently, he had, at least according to the artist’s intentions, left his burden at the cross and had found something there that had changed him, which had made him a new creation. The artist explained what he had painted. He pointed out the other packages. They were, he said, packages filled with sins and worries. One of those packages, he didn’t say which, had been his. The other boxes belonged to other Christians. They, too, had been left at the cross.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour broadcast of: July 13, 2003