Carry-on luggage on a flight can be cumbersome. 

My small suitcase is swollen with personal belongings that I prefer to have within reach. I lug it on board, hoping that its girth will go unnoticed. 

Sometimes, my bag is too bulky to fit in the overhead luggage rack. Once, I had to take it to the front of the plane, for storage elsewhere.

As I reflected on that incident, I realised that in many ways I have treated sinful habits like carry-on luggage. I have carried around my desire for material possessions, hunger for approval and appetite for sensual pleasure. 

I’ve depended on their presence to feel good about myself. However, they offered little relief from my emotional or spiritual struggles. I am learning that God’s opinion of me is what matters. And because Christ is my Lord and Saviour, I am accepted, loved and valued.

Jesus gently and lovingly calls each of us to have a personal relationship with him. When we surrender our baggage to Jesus Christ—by daily asking him to help us desire him more than our pleasures—we experience intimacy with Jesus through prayer, worship, Bible study and obedience. Jesus Christ is all we truly need. And his load—his will for our lives—is easy and light.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that we can hand our baggage over to you and experience intimacy, fellowship and rest. Amen