By Joshua Cooley
June 6, 1944. Normandy, France. Code name: Operation Overlord.
D-Day.
On this day, the greatest seaborne armada in history crossed the English Channel to begin the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. Approximately 7,000 Allied ships arrived at France’s northern coast, unloading nearly 130,000 Allied soldiers onto the beaches nicknamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword—all heavily fortified by Germany. History hung in the balance.
The average D-Day infantryman, crammed like cattle in those flat-bottomed Higgins boats as they rode to shore, had no idea when he would be resupplied—if he even made it past the deadly beaches. So he carried as much weaponry, ammunition, and gear as he could carry—up to an additional 100 pounds.
Many soldiers, disembarking their landing craft too far from shore, drowned immediately. Weighed down by their own burdens, they sank helplessly to the channel floor.
Today, we live in a world filled with people who are drowning under the weight of their burdens—mental, emotional and spiritual. This includes our brothers and sisters in Christ. While our churches can be wonderful places of Christian fellowship, faith-filled community and spiritual refuge, they do not insulate us from the difficulties and tragedies of a fallen world. So we must “carry one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Why? Because it’s the very essence of following Jesus. “In this way,” Paul continues, “you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Jesus—the same Savior who reached into the waters of Galilee to save Peter from sinking—tells us plainly: “This is what I command you: Love one another” (John 15:17). Love is rarely found in words alone. Love is self-sacrifice. It means doing. It requires giving of ourselves to meet the needs of others. It means reaching out a hand to help.
Just as Jesus came near to save Peter, we must draw near to others, both physically and spiritually, in their times of need. Burden-carrying is awfully hard from a distance.
The apostle James, the Lord’s brother, said as much in his epistle. The Christian who sees a fellow believer in need and merely wishes them well offers hollow platitudes. “What good is it?” James asked bluntly (James 2:16). But the Christian who sees someone bent over by life’s troubles and lifts them upward with prayer-empowered action—this is one who shows true faith.
Spiritual warfare is raging all around us. People’s loads are heavy. Many are sinking. Let’s reach down into the depths, and by God’s grace, bring them back up.
Lord, give us eyes to see those around us who need your care. Let us be both the strong hands and the gentle touch of Jesus. Give us the strength to carry others’ burdens, just as we need help from others to carry ours. Amen.
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