“Jesus Carry Me Upon Your Back”

Recently I heard a song sung by Ugandan Christians, “Jesus Carry Me Upon Your Back.” The genesis of this hymn is seen everyday as mothers carry their babies on their backs. To be as dependent as a baby, snuggled close to your mother as you can get, is the image of being carried by Jesus on His back.

As usual, my mind went to another image and place. Of Jesus carrying His cross and falling three times. Listening to the song, I replaced the cross with me, Gary. I asked myself, is Jesus falling because I’m a tall overweight man, or is he falling because He is carrying me with all the extra weight of my sin?

Personally, there is always an uncomfortable feeling for me on Good Friday, watching the reenactment of the passion of Christ. While Jesus was being nailed to the cross, the list of my past, present and future sins were also being nailed onto that cross. With each step Jesus took toward Golgotha I feel the increased weight of shame and guilt. It is me on the back of Jesus. I’m the reason he falls three times. My weight is crushing him. Indeed, it is all our weight, all our sin combined that proves too much for Jesus to carry up the hill.

The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate victory over the power over sin and death. When they unnailed Jesus from the cross, my sin was also unnailed. Through the resurrection, the shame and guilt of Good Friday is transformed into joy and freedom. On Good Friday Jesus carries my sin. On Easter, He carries me, His brother, son & child.

The world, and more specifically, our friends and neighbors carry with them the pain and shame of their own sin. They live in darkness. As the body of Christ – the church, we can invite both friend and stranger into the light of Jesus. They too can place all that weighs them down at the foot of the cross. Together we can sing, “Jesus Carry me Upon Your Back.”

I support several non-profit organizations; however, none offer the world truth and eternal life. Only the church, through Jesus and the Body of Christ, can truly transform the world. Jesus not only has our back, but He also says I will never leave you and will carry you to the end.