Sounds like something I need to do, lighten the load that is, and maybe that’s something you need to do too? It is easy to get bogged down with life’s cares, worries, demands, trials, hardships, challenges – it seems there is no shortage of things that cause us pain, give us pause or just outright stop us in our tracks and maybe bring us to our knees.

I have just been reading about Paul’s final voyage by sea to Rome. It was not an easy trip due to the fierce storms that arose threatening the ship and the lives of all those on board. One of their solutions was to lighten the load on the ship, hoping this would help the ship to fare better in the storm. This is part of the account of that journey by sea –

“Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the ‘northeaster,’ swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. . . . We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.” (Acts 27:14-19)

This seems pretty drastic to me. Didn’t they need the things they were throwing overboard into that stormy sea? Or was their choice between their possessions and their lives? By giving up some of their “things” they were hoping to save their lives. Seems like a reasonable trade off to me. After all, I read these words in Luke –

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:25)

Those on the ship sailing with Paul were definitely willing to part with some things if it meant keeping their ship afloat and therefore themselves alive in the middle of the storm. But the storm continued. They had more choices to make. I read what they did next –

“When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.” (Acts 27:38)

So they continued to lighten the load by throwing overboard whatever was still weighing the ship down. In this case it was food! Now food seems pretty important but if they drowned in the sea, I guess they wouldn’t need the food anyway. Gives new meaning to the phrase “traveling light” doesn’t it?

Which is a goal of mine whenever I travel – to travel light – to travel with as little as possible, just the necessities, so I don’t have a lot of unnecessary stuff weighing me down. So just how much stuff do I need to take with me when I travel anyway? For me, the length of the journey often determines how much I think I will need to carry with me. However, there is also the inevitable “accumulation factor” which I always forget to include in my calculations, meaning I am going to accumulate additional things along the way, whether by my intentional shopping for souvenirs etc. or simply because I will automatically, unintentionally acquire things as I move through life. These will consist of physical things of course, but also of relationships, memories, emotional, mental and spiritual additions that will be added as I continue on my life’s journey.

But what about my life’s journey? It certainly consists of more than just travel by ship as the apostle Paul was doing, or by “planes, trains and automobiles” (a favorite movie title). My life’s journey, as is yours too dear reader, is one that is impossible to adequately pack for due to the fact that I don’t know what lies ahead. (only God does) I can’t possibly know, but it is sure to include all kinds of weather – storms, adversity, mountains, valleys, feast and famine, drought and flood, scarcity and times of plenty. How can I possibly pack for all contingencies that my entire life’s journey will most certainly include?

I think Abraham faced this very same situation. However, he didn’t let worries or indecision over what to pack for his life’s journey stop him from answering God’s call. He just packed it all! I don’t think this is a good example of traveling light but who am I to criticize Abraham? I read this account of Abraham’s response to God’s invitation –

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;’ . . . So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. . . . He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.” (Genesis 12:1-5)

Abraham definitely did NOT pack light! He took ALL his possessions. He even packed people! Besides his wife and nephew, he took “the people he had acquired in Haran” meaning, his servants. Of course, there were no grocery stores along the way, so the fact that Abraham took all his flocks and herds of animals with him on this trip was necessary if they were going to have food to eat as they traveled and food when they arrived at their destination.

Lot also was not traveling light. He had his family, his flocks and herds and his servants with him as well. Because of this, the two men did eventually part ways, going in opposite directions so each of them could have enough land to support their animals and their possessions. I know Abraham had a lot to carry with him because I read this about him-

“Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.” (Genesis 13:2)

But that was then. Today we have grocery stores and I have a credit card. Surely, I don’t need to carry everything with me as I journey through this life? If I run out of toothpaste, I can find a place to buy some more, right? After all, when Jesus sent His disciples out, He gave them these instructions –

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.’ So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.” (Luke 9:1-6)

Wow! Now that is truly traveling light! No change of clothes, no credit card, no snack for the road – this required his disciples to completely trust Him and then to obey Him. And they did. So, what travel instructions has my Heavenly Father given me? Well, I read this –

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Ok, so there are things I don’t need to carry with me because they are hindering and entangling me – things such as sin and whatever things burden and therefore hinder me in this race I am running, such as fear, anxiety, bitterness, jealousy, selfishness, greed, grief, unforgiveness – the list is long. BUT – these are all burdens I can choose not to carry with me. I don’t have to carry them. There is One who will carry them for me.

“Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

I am told what to leave behind and I am told what to put on for the journey. Remember going to summer camp and getting a packing list of exactly what to bring? It was always very specific ie bug repellant, flashlight, (batteries) rain poncho, hiking boots, sun screen, hat, canteen, (today’s water bottle) and so on. Nothing extraneous – just essential stuff. So what is essential for me today and every day on my life’s journey? Well, my Heavenly Father has given me the list, and He also provides me with what He asks me to put on and to carry with me for the trip –

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:13-17)

Throw off everything that hinders and entangles, put on the full armor – ok, I got it! If I follow these directions, I can be confident as I travel through this life toward my eternal destination that –

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

I already have all that I need! Unlike Abraham, I don’t have to carry it all with me. I can truly travel light. And I can even lighten my load further, by giving my heaviest burdens to my Savior, who has already borne the heaviest burden of all for me, that of my sin. Jesus took that one to the cross for me, so that I am set free to run this life race for Him burden free.

And I will do just that. I will continue to lighten my load as I travel, casting my cares on my Heavenly Father, confessing my sin, forgiving others, generously sharing instead of accumulating – trusting God that I have all that I need in Him.

it is in the lightening of the load that I am set free!

sincerely, Grace Day