Devotion 10/29, Serve like Christ

Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Jesus reminds me that if I am to be like him, I will be a burden carrier. He became one of us to lift our heaviest burdens from our shoulder. The Lord died to free us from the weight of sin, death, and hell from our shoulders. Jesus has blessed us by carrying our heaviest burdens so that we might lighten the load of those around us. At times, I can feel so burdened myself that I can’t even see the burdens of others. But that’s usually when I am consumed in myself and my own circumstance. Then when I move my focus back to realizing God’s grace, love and mercies on me, I see how rich in His blessings I am and how burdened others are. That’s my opportunity to witness by listening, acting or testifying. It’s an opportunity to lift their burden, to comfort them.
When a brother or sister in Christ is being tempted, going through trials and tragedies, testings or failures, we are not to stand at a distance and just observe them. We should be praying for them and doing everything in our power to help them stay close to God in the process. If we were going through what they are, and we most surely will at some point, we would want fellow believers praying for us and coming alongside us to help in any way they could; that is what being a family of faith is all about, that is what Christ-like love is all about!
When Christ walked this earth He served people, He placed their needs above His own. We are to do the same, we are not to go about living a self-centered life only thinking of what we want and what we do. When we are sensitive to the needs of those around us and do all we can to meet those needs then we are truly being an example of the love of Christ. In Romans 12:15 we are told to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.” God wants us to genuinely care for our brothers and sisters in Christ and by doing so exemplify Him to the unsaved around us.
The Old Testament law, or “Moses’ Law”, was far different from the law of Christ. Moses’ Law promised life for obedience, but gave no power to obey, and could only encourage obedience by fear of punishment. The law of Christ, on the other hand, is loving instruction for those who already have life. Believers are enabled to keep His law by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and our motivation is our love for the Lord Jesus Christ!
The law of Christ includes all the commandments of the Lord Jesus for His people found in the New Testament. However, His greatest commandment of all is that we love God with all our heart, and the second one is to love one another (Matthew 22:36-38).
I seek the Holy Spirit to guide my focus to be on my Lord and to be the yoke that might lighten the burdens of others.

Thank You Father God for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit which enables me to love as Christ loves. I want to be a blessing to the broken and discouraged, so please help me find my place and my way of serving to your glory through your Holy Spirit. Help me to “carry the burdens” of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and to be sensitive to their needs. I love You Lord and give You all praise, glory and honor this day, Amen!

Lord, I can only ease my brothers burdens. In you and you alone can our burdens be lifted. I pray that I might lighten the load of my brother or sister’s burden only to lift them up to You, our Comforter. Only through You can our burdens be lifted, through Your blessings, grace and mercy. Lord, You did not come to be served, but to serve. May I follow your example in my life today and all of my tomorrows. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.