Backpacking

6/20/15
          God has been really good to me this week. He didn't break my heart or overwhelm me with His presence like He has on every other mission trip I've been on. He just let me love Him.
          I've had an image in my head all week--I didn't hear it or read it somewhere, although I'm sure other people have come up with it on their own to use in a sermon as an illustration. But, this came straight from The Holy Spirit for me, as God just gave it to me this week to be my 'theme':
          I'm going backpacking up a mountain. My guide/leader tells me not to take any special rocks, flowers, sticks, or shells along the way to the summit because everything is way more awesome up there, but I keep stuffing them in my backpack anyway. My backpack gets heavier and heavier until I cannot walk or even stand up due to its weight. I begin to suffocate under the weight of all those pretty rocks that I took. Then, instead of continuing on his journey, my guide turns around and as I'm nearing my final breath, he swaps backpacks with me. I now have a light backpack, full of everything I need and easy to carry, while He struggles to bare the weight of all the rocks he told me not to take. He struggles up the mountain, refusing to leave me alone on the journey. By the time we reach the top, my guide is so exhausted that He stops breathing and dies on the mountain top, crushed under my rocks. While I stand victorious on the mountain top with his backpack.
          That's the Gospel right there! The more I think about it the more I love Him; He gave me that little visual very early this week, and it has just brought me so much peace in knowing that no matter how many rocks I pick up in disobedience to Him, He will not leave me alone. No matter what it does to Him, He's always going to be there to carry my burdens and fears. The cross hurt. My sins  that He put on Himself must have weighed Him down more than I'll ever know. But He STILL refuses to leave my side! He rose from the grave and defeated death! Praise be to God that He rose from the grave and that I may stand victorious by His side!