September 23, “Carry Me”

“Carry Me”
Brian Reid – NTUBC – September 23, 2007

Some of my favorite albums growing as a teenage were…

One of my favorite bands of all-time, which I had the opportunity to see in concert a few years ago (and, after all this time, they still rocked the house), is…

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show

I can remember, laying back, eyes closed, music turned waaaayyy up; and grooving to the tunes. Funny, how our taste in music changes, and some of the songs I used to listen to, now, make me cringe.

I firmly believe, that when we become a Christian, that certain songs we used to like, somehow are transformed – through us and because of us. The words of the song may not change, but the meanings behind them change for us.

On this Dr. Hook album, there are two songs that I can really relate to, and I listened to many, many times. These songs seem to tell of a transformation.

One song tells of an old life - and the struggles thereof; and the other song, tells about a new life – and the struggles thereof.

The first song is entitled; “Freaking at the Freaker’s Ball.”
Let me share a few of the lyrics with you;

Well there's gonna be a freakers ball; Tonight at the freakers hall; And you know, you're invited one and all.

Come on babies grease your lips; Grab your hats and swing your hips; Don't forget to bring your whips; We're going to the freakers ball.

Blow your whistle and bang your gong; Roll up something to take along; It feels so good it must be wrong; We're freakin at the freakers ball.

Everybody's fallin' in batches; I'm gonna itch me, where it scratches; Freaking at the freakers ball.

This song tells us, what our past life, might have been like. It talks about the strange and unusual things people sometimes do; all in the name of survival – and to fit in. It remind us of the mistakes we made, the attitudes we once had, and the sins we have committed (or continue to commit).

The second song is entitled; “Carry Me, Carrie”
(I’m going to leave the words on the overhead)

Second Street and Broadway; Sitting in a doorway; Head, held, in his hands; Looked to all the world, like he was praying.

Foot wrapped, in an old rag; Bottle in a brown bag; I saw him, try to stand;
Then, I heard the words, that he was saying (ya).

He said, Come on, Carrie; Carry me, a little farther; Come on, Carrie; Carry me one more mile; I don’t know, where it’s leading to; But I know, I can make it, if I lean on you, so; Come on Carrie; Carry me a little; I carried you, now carry me a little; Come on, Carrie; Carry me, a little while; Carry me.

Well he struggled to his feet; And staggered down the street, to the window, of a five and dime; He stood, and laughed, a while, at his reflection; Then I heard him shout, something about a mountain; He could surely climb; If she was only there to point, the right direction; But she ain’t, no! She ain’t, no!

He said, Come on, Carrie; Carry me, a little farther; Come on, Carrie; Carry me one more mile; I don’t know, where it’s leading to; But I know, I can make it, if I lean on you, so; Come on Carrie; Carry me a little; I carried you, now carry me a little; Come on, Carrie; Carry me, a little while; Carry me.

This song tells of where we are at. It is a time and place within our new life, and, there are still struggles. One day it’s good and one day it’s bad. We try and try, but then we fail and fall.

For the man in the song, the girl, Carrie, was all he ever needed to make it through life. For this man, the absence of Carrie has had a detrimental effect on his ability to cope with life; and to live a life worth living.

Carrie tells of the place we’d like to journey to; “something about a mountain, we could surely climb.” But this song (also) tells us of the struggles, the uncertainties and the failures. Then, comes the self-doubt, skepticism, faltering, and hesitation; “if she was only there, to point the right direction.”

But, all these burdens and obstacles (that we face), the pain and suffering we go through - come from…within.

The isolation is self-imposed.
The pain is self-inflected.

Then, as if we weren’t done beating ourselves up; society kicks in its judgmental attitude.


Some people, many people, feel that when you become a Christian, you automatically become unable to sin, or don’t have those thoughts you once had. A vast majority of people, think that once you accept Christ as Lord and Savior, are baptized, and become a Christian, that you can no longer do anything wrong.

Let me remind you of this; We are humans, we are weak, and we make mistakes.

Then, when you do make a mistake, they simply say you weren’t a Christian in the first place. “If he was a real Christian, he would not have sinned.”

Well, I am here, today, to say (and hopeful show evidence) that that is not the case.

Many, many people believe that it takes, but 1 indiscretion, to erase or remove a lifetime of work, dedication and commitment. That is not so; that is absolutely untrue.

The Lord knew your faults – and accepted you, even before you accepted Christ as your savior. The Lord knows all your faults, but loves you through His mercy and grace. He knows your faults, but He also knows what you are capable of –which is goodness.

All of us, are struggling sinners and “works in progress;” for God is not finished with us yet. That’s what this single, highlighted sentence is telling us.

Point, fact #1; God has begun His good work in you.

Point, fact #2; God will continue His work, until the day He is finished.

Point, fact #3; That work will be finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

These are not merely idle Bible promises, but absolute certainties – from God; for this passage says it as plain and as simple as it can be said.

“And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”

So, those days, when things don’t go your way, and your self-control is lacking and you slip back to a previous habit or blunder, it doesn’t mean you are not saved or not a Christian; you are simply like the rest of us – weak and struggling with sin.

But, what makes the difference and saves us, is our ability to turn to God in confession, admitting those sins, asking for forgiveness, and (then) moving forward – knowing God is not finished with us yet.

We will make mistakes, but we cannot dwell on them, or get stuck in them; we must move forward – learning from those mistakes.

For God has many things planned for us, and we must look for the incidences whereby God is teaching us - still. And as we learn more, accept more, and serve Him more; grace grows within us, and we mature as Christians.

“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord, as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”

The God, that began a good work within us, is the same God, who continues it throughout our lifetime, and is the very same God, who will finish it, when we meet Christ face-to-face.

God’s work for us, began, when Christ died on the cross in our place. His work within us, began, when we first believed.

And, now, that the Holy Spirit lives in us all, it is enabling us to be more Christ-like. This is the process of Spiritual Growth and Christian Maturity. But, it takes time for this to happen, it will not happen over night; and we will make mistakes, and we will back-slide – but God will continue His good work in us, until, it is finished on the Day of Christ.

So, we shouldn’t get all upset, and beat ourselves up, or give-up, we should simply admit our shortcomings, and continue to work on them, as God will give us the time we need.


The chorus of this song speaks volumes, and goes something like;
Come on, Carrie,
Carry me one more mile
I don’t know, where it’s leading to
But I know, I can make it, if I lean on you, so
Come on, Carrie
Carry me a little while

As we journey this earth, and live our lives, there will be times when we will need to be carried – one more mile. There’s no shame in that, nor is there anything to be embarrassed about. Jesus, often, went to God in prayer; seeking guidance and strength. And you are allowed to go to God, and say; “Carry me, one more mile.”

As the song says, sometimes “we don’t know where it’s leading to.” That’s true; we get confused and become uncertain. But if we are being lead by Christ, we don’t have to know where the Lord will take us; we simply can trust in Him, and be confident of His guidance.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not harm you.”

The next part of the song, we should be able to draw a prayer from, that goes something like; “But I know, I can make it, if I lean on you, so; Come on, Lord, Carry me, just a little while.”

And this man, in this song, continues to live that changed life, and he continues to struggle.


Then I heard him shout, something about a mountain
He could surely climb

But, he still maintains a dependency upon her. He feels he is nothing, and can do nothing, without her; without Carrie.

If she was only there, to point, the right direction

Then, this lonely and lost man, has an epiphany, a realization, a sudden intuitive leap of understanding, a moment of absolute, clarity.

If she was only there, to point, the right direction
But she ain’t, no! She ain’t, no!

He finally realizes, that he has to travel his journey, walk his walk, and live his life - without her; because ‘she ain’t there to point the right direction.’ (She ain’t, no! she ain’t!)

He finally realizes, that he cannot depend on her – any more; but he doesn’t have to do it alone, either.

And, you don’t have to face those struggles of life alone; for you have Christ. You don’t have to live with the guilt and pain of sinning; for you have Christ.

And, I have an epiphany for you, it is a little know secret, that comes by way of an ordinary, but striking occurrence. It comes through this passage, that we looked at, today; and I am here to tell you; that you can’t be 100% perfect, all the time; and you can’t become sinless over-night.

“Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be, has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when He is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see Him as He is. And all who have this hope in Him, purify themselves, just as He is pure.”

God will continue the good work he began in you, and finish, what He has started; which will be completed on the day Christ returns.

So, relax, live your life, try to be Christ-like in everything you do. You don’t have to worry and fret, that you are NOT perfect, yet (for we will continue to sin); but God is not finished with us; and he will continue to mold and make us, and to perfect us, until He is finished and Christ comes.

And if you slip, Yes, it is still a sin, but you can have forgiveness from those sins – as you continue to grow and mature, as a Christian.

And, (if you need to), allow God to…

“Carry You, Just One More Mile.”

Let’s pray;