I have often prayed for a burden to be removed from mine, or a friends’ shoulder.

I was impacted this morning by the wording of Psalm 81:6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden…”

I would have expected it to read, “I removed the burden from his shoulder”.

Any reference to burdens and shoulders bring me memories of the seventy-mile pilgrimage I walked with my nephew in Spain. I smile as I remember him picking up my backpack, as we were ready to start the hike for the day, and holding it so that I could easily slip my shoulders into the straps.

A reverse move would be made at the end of the days hike. He would lift the pack off my back and let me slip my shoulders out.

The pack wasn’t that hard to carry once it was secured in place. Credit must be given to the outfitters who carefully measured me, fitted me with the right size and shape and made sure the weight I carried was distributed well and within my capacity to bear.

The hard part for me was maneuvering my shoulders to get the pack on and off. Thankfully, my nephew noticed this and stepped up.

I wonder what God means when He says, “I removed his shoulder from the burden?”

What happens to the burden if my shoulders are removed from it?

Maybe that isn’t my question to ask.

Maybe the burden I have been struggling with isn’t one that I am equipped to carry. Maybe I picked it up without checking the ID Tag and the destination.