Little Annie’s Burden, and How She Lost it

At the time I knew her, Annie was a girl of thirteen years of age. She was then burdened with a sense of her sins.

When she was only a little mite of five, her nurse dropped her when putting her into a bath, and her poor little back was hurt so much that ever since she has had to lie down, and has suffered a great deal of pain, and has never run about at play, or been for nice walks like you have.

But it was not the pain or weariness of her body which she felt such a burden—no, it was her sins. She said to me one day when I spoke to her about the Lord Jesus; “Sometimes I am naughty and cross, and I do not think I am fit for heaven.”

I told her Jesus, the Son of God, did not come to save the good boys and girls, but the bad ones, and He had died upon the cross that sinners who looked away from themselves to Jesus, and believed on Him, might be happy and able to say, “He bore my sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

Annie then said, “They are so heavy,” meaning her sins were a great load upon her, for although she believed Jesus had died for her the burden was not yet gone, but when I went on to speak more of Jesus and His love in dying for the naughty ones, she saw that if Jesus had died instead of her and had borne her sins upon the cross she would never have to bear them or the punishment at all—and she said she could thank the Lord Jesus for bearing them all away.

When I next saw little Annie she was so bright and happy, and told me she knew now she was washed and made whiter than snow in the precious blood of Jesus—because, “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Yes, now the bundle of Annie’s sins was gone, for she saw that the heavy burden was laid upon the Lord Jesus when He was on the cross, and that He carried it away into the land of forgetfulness, and that her sins will never be remembered any more (Heb. 10:17).

Now, young friend, have you lost YOUR burden yet? Can you go about brightly and happily, trusting in the Lord Jesus as your own dear Saviour, able to thank Him for what He has done, and trying to live for Him who died for you.

The Lord Jesus has been lifted up from the earth, and now says to the poor heavy-laden sinner—whether young or old—rich or poor, “Look unto Me and be ye saved” (Isa. 45:22). “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

Look, then, just as you are to the Lord Jesus Christ, like Annie did, and think of His love when He gave up His life for the naughty ones, and then, like Annie, you will be able to say your heavy load is gone.

I.Fleming

Scattered Seed 1928, p. 12