Do you enjoy backpacking? I know some people who love it! They collect all their equipment: a sleeping bag, extra clothing in case the weather turns cold, food, a few cooking and eating utensils, camera, water purifier and their Bibles. They load it all into backpacks that strap over their shoulders, and they’re off!
The backpackers I know were heading up through the Wallowa Wilderness to a mountaintop called the Eagle’s Cap. They were full of energy and eager to hike to the spot partway up the mountain where they had chosen to camp for the night.
When the hikers first put on their backpacks, the packs felt light, and the hikers could forget they were carrying them. But as they climbed, their loads felt heavier and heavier, and those straps began to dig into their shoulders. By the time they had reached their overnight camp, every one of them was very glad to take off that pack. It felt so heavy!
That’s sometimes how our sins feel. When we are young we tell lies, do something mean, or disobey our parents, and our consciences bother us. But then we forget about those sins for a while. As time goes on, however, our packs of sin become heavier and heavier as we add more and more sins to them.
You and I don’t have to go on carrying our heavy packs of sin any longer. The Lord Jesus Christ is waiting to lift those packs off us. He invites us to bring them to Him: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). Tell Him about your sins and that you are sorry you committed them, and He will gladly remove them forever and give you rest. He is the only one who can, because He bore the punishment on Calvary’s cross for the sins of anyone who comes to Him and is truly sorry for them. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)). Then you’ll be able to walk the rest of the path of life with the Lord Jesus. He will be your guide and provider until He takes you safely to heaven to be with Himself forever.
After lunch, some of the backpackers just wanted to stretch out and rest or nap, but there were a few who were still eager to press on and climb to the top. They left their heavy backpacks behind and only took a few snacks, water filters and cameras. The climbing was hard, but they were rewarded with a wonderful view when they reached the top.
Up there they found a tightly covered metal box nestled in the snow. Of course, they were curious. When they opened it, they discovered several notebooks full of names of those who had climbed the mountain before them. Every notebook was full. There was only a little space on the back cover of one where they could write in their names-proof that they had actually made it to the top.
God has a book full of names too. It’s called the Lamb’s book of life, and in it are written the names of every person whose sins have been removed forever by the Lord Jesus. Those names are proof that they belong to Him. Is your name written in His book? If not, one day you will stand before the throne of Almighty God and be judged for your sins. While there’s still time to have Him write your name in that book, won’t you come to Jesus and confess that you are a guilty sinner and accept Him as your very own Saviour? “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)).
ML-08/13/2000