Good morning,
We live busy lives. Work, school, church, gym etc. Interruptions. Do we see needs and meet them?
God has given us the privilege and responsibility to bear one another’s burdens. Physically, relationally, financially, and spiritually.
This week we will look at what the Bible says about bearing one another’s burdens.
Today we see different Bible characters who saw a need and met it.
PHYSICAL
Pharaoh’s daughter has compassion on Moses Exodus 2:5-7 Key v6
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
Shunammite woman’s care for Elisha 2 Kings 4:8-10
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
Elisha’s gift of opportunity to bear a child in old age 2 Kings 4: 14-17
And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. 17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
Elisha heals dead son. 2 Kings 4:20, 34-37
And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
Samaritan binds the wounds of the man left for dead. Luke 10:33-35
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Not all needs are the same. God used a specific person, with specific skills, at the specific time, to meet a specific need.
The bearer of the burden had a choice to help or not. They to chose to help.
A nation was saved, a prophet was housed and fed, an old woman conceived, a dead boy was brought back to life, and the Samaritan was helped to recover from his wounds.
All in a day’s work for the bearer of burdens.
Will we be God’s burden bearer today?
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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