The Divine Baggage Handler

“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 NIV)

This past summer my sister-in-law and her two daughters came to visit us from South Africa.  While they had a great visit, their experience with a certain American airline was anything but.  On their return home, a trip that was to take two days took five due to the airline’s incompetency.  If that weren’t bad enough, five of their eight bags were damaged beyond repair.  And to add insult to injury, the airline has yet even to acknowledge their claim for compensation.  

If you have flown much, you know airline personnel can often be gruff and less than helpful, and the baggage handlers far from gentle in handling passengers’ bags.  The whole commercial flying experience can leave folks feeling worn out, depressed, and resentful at how roughly they and their bags were treated.  Many fly only out of necessity and with feelings of dread each time they do it.

I was reminded of this the other day while reading this passage.  In so many areas of our lives, we are often treated roughly—perhaps by parents, teachers, government workers, bosses, etc.  We are not treated with care and neither is the baggage that we are often carrying.  Could it be that this common type of treatment we experience in our lives prevents us from seeing God as He really is—merciful and gentle?  

Most people I meet have a concept of God that more closely resembles an airline baggage handler than the One described in the Scriptures. They don’t see Him as gentle and caring, but rather as one who callously makes demands and metes out rough treatment on those who fall short. They might say they believe He is a God of love, but in reality they will not trust Him with their baggage.  Like the guy who takes the luggage off the plane, they believe God will handle their baggage in a rough and uncaring manner.  So they hold onto it.

So many are burdened by the baggage they carry.  If only they could hand it over to the One who will truly treat it with gentleness and care. Unlike His earthly counterparts, the Divine Baggage Handler cares about the owners of the baggage.   And because He cares about the owners, He will handle their baggage carefully.  

Today, know that whatever baggage you are carrying, you can hand it over to the Lord and He will be gentle with it because He deeply cares for its owner.  Unlike the typical experience with an airline, you can hand over your baggage and then find rest and peace.

© Jim Musser 2014