Recently on July 29, 2014 a 25-foot juvenile gray whale was spotted off Mission Beach and La Jolla in San Diego County. It was entangled with rope—possibly a commercial fishing line—and kelp, and was clearly encumbered. Most gray whales have already reached their Arctic feeding grounds, after spending the winter and part of spring in Baja California, their nursing and mating grounds.
This straggler was swimming at about the same pace a person walks, which is about one mile per hour. Normally, the whales travel at about 4-5 miles per hour, but this undernourished exhausted whale was putting out all the energy it could.
After literally nuzzling some surfers on their boards as if to ask for help, it was finally freed to continue it’s journey that would have soon ended in death if it had not been cut loose from the encumbrance.
My heart went out to this poor creature that had been so held back by the ropes, kelp, and net. And the truth is, that beautiful creature represents so many of us who have been dragging encumbrances of hurt, regret, shame, guilt, anger, or bitterness because of things we have done or things that have been done to us.
Like that whale each day of the burden leaves us weaker and behind in our journey. Like that whale we need help to be freed, and need it sooner than later. But help is available and has been for 2000 years.
Christ came to free us from the burdens of sin whether it’s the result of our own poor choices or because we are the victim of another persons sins.
Either way, we need help, and God promises to set us free if we will but ask. The Bible says if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). It says we can cast our cares and anxieties upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Ask Him to remove the burdens, and then be bold enough to let Him keep them. We must trust Him to be big enough to handle what we leave behind.
Affiliated Ministries
