Devotionals by Dr. M. Craig Barnes
Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down... --
When Jesus was describing how and when he will return, he told his disciples that the best way to prepare themselves for that day is to take good care of their hearts. Don't overload them, Jesus warns. That's because whenever the heart is weighed down, it just can't handle anything else. Not even a Savior.
Obviously, we are still waiting for the day when the Kingdom of Christ will be fully manifested on earth. But in the meantime the risen Jesus Christ is breaking into every day we have, trying to give us little approximations of that future glory. But if we are burdened with sadness, we can't even see Christ among us, and we certainly can't add any of his blessings to our hearts that are already too heavy.
While there is a time to grieve the losses of life, the only abiding sadness we are called to carry are the tears of Christ who wept over Jerusalem and over all who are too burdened to see their hope. But Jesus' concern for those lost in despair is not supposed to be heavy. If the yoke of ministry isn't easy, or the burden light, then you aren't wearing it correctly.
It is interesting that Jesus never says, "Be on guard that your hearts are not too light." I think that's because while some forms of sadness prevent us from seeing Christ, all forms of joy help us see him. It's just too hard to laugh with your head down.
-- Craig Barnes