Bible Reading: Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7

"It's too heavy!" James dragged his bag through the airport. "Dad, I need a luggage carrier!"

Dad chuckled. "What did you pack? Rocks?"

"Just one."

Dad stopped walking. "Seriously?"

"I didn't want to forget our backyard!"

"Well, come on." Dad pointed ahead. "It's just a bit farther to our gate."

After James plopped down hard into a chair, he noticed the many people passing by. One gray-haired woman dragged a suitcase half her size. I wonder what's in there, thought James. She must have a lot she doesn't want to forget. Next came a small girl twirling a tiny tote bag. Crayons and candy, James guessed. Not too heavy.

"You know," Dad said as he watched the people go by, "everybody has luggage."

Just then, James spotted a man holding only a phone. "Not him."

"Sure he does. Let's say your life is a suitcase, James. Every friend, conversation, sports game, or test is like an item in your luggage. We carry the good and bad things with us--but sometimes the bad things become heavy, and it's hard for us to carry those things around."

"So what happens when life gets too heavy?" asked James with a glance toward his bag.

"That's the best part of all," said Dad. "Jesus will carry all your burdens so you can rest--like that man carrying nothing but his cell phone."

Just then an announcement came over the loudspeaker. "Group four, please begin boarding."

"That's us!" James leapt up and reached for his bag, but his arm was still too sore to lift it. "Hey, Dad, can you help me?"

"Of course." Dad grabbed James's bag, and they boarded the plane.

After they were seated and their bags were stowed away, James turned to Dad. "So how does Jesus carry my burdens?"

"Well," said Dad, "He took the biggest burden from us--the punishment for our sin--when He died on the cross. And He wants us to give our worries and regrets to Him in prayer and trust Him to help us with our problems and forgive our wrongs. Instead of trying to handle life's heavy burdens on our own, He wants to give us peace and rest."

"I get it now," James said. "Jesus is my luggage carrier!"

–Kelly Carlson