"At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away."

Hymn: “At the Cross” – refrain by Ralph E. Hudson (1843-1901)
Tune: HUDSON

This hymnline always brings to my mind the drawings I’ve seen of the burden falling from the back of the protagonist in PILGRIM’S PROGRESS. Standing before the cross, Pilgrim’s back-pack rolls down the mountain, symbolic of his being relieved of the great burden of his life.

We approach the cross with an armload of sin, distress, pain, and personal history. Most of us come hesitantly because we are weighed down by guilt and shame, completely convinced that our sin is too great to be forgiven. Like Pilgrim, we have spent too much time enjoying Vanity Fair, hiking the Delectable Mountains, and pondering at Doubting Castle.

To our surprise, forgiveness is granted, our darkness is removed, and our over-sized burden is cut loose to roll in the opposite direction. In the light, our burden is lightened.

Our human nature causes us to refill our backpack, replenishing those burdens. We return to self-centeredness, overindulgence and doubt. In our despair, we recall how we once wound our way to the Savior, the Releaser of burdens – and we set out seeking him once again.

This coming to the foot of the cross is something we do over and over… daily… sometimes hourly. There, by faith, we receive our sight, and the rest of our day is filled with joy.

An energetic, spirit-filled singing of this hymn