(Maria Lang, "My Yoke Is Easy")
Why and How
Last year (May 15, 2022) I preached
on today’s passage with the title “Easy Yoke.” In the message the main question
was “Why did Jesus say it is an ‘easy’ yoke?” The yoke is easy, not
because the burden is light and comfortable, but because we are yoked to Jesus
and he carries most of the weight. That’s why the yoke is easy and bearable no
matter how heavy the burden is.
Today’s message is a sequel to last year’s message. The question of the day is “How do we experience the easy yoke?” We will answer to that question as we explore the following hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus (UMH 526)” – stanza by stanza. This poem was written by Joseph Scriven who was suffering from ill-health and depression. He wrote this poem to comfort his elderly mother.
Stanza 1: “Everything”
“How do we experience Jesus’ easy
yoke especially when we are down?” The first stanza answers this way:
What a Friend we have
in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear—
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
In the first stanza the word “everything” stands out. We can take everything to God in prayer. The Book of Psalms is our guide. There we find all of our emotions – fear, anger, loneliness, sadness, grief, lamentation, joy, happiness, and so on. The psalmists take all their emotions to God in prayer. Their raw and honest prayers speak to all of our emotions.
At this moment perhaps some of us may be grieving the loss of the loved one. Perhaps some may lament over conflicts and problems within the family. Perhaps some may feel hopeless because of their own brokenness and wounds. Perhaps some may feel all alone on their sick bed. Perhaps some may feel fearful and panicked as they lose their memories and their independence. All of our emotions, all of our burdens, we can take to the Lord in prayer!
Stanza 2: “Every Weakness”
The second
stanza expounds further on how we can experience Christ’s easy yoke:
Have we trials
and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Jesus knows our every trial, every temptation, every trouble, every sorrow, every weakness. On the night before Jesus was arrested, he prayed. He prayed for himself to be ready, but also he prayed for his disciples. He said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail, and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).
Jesus knows our every weakness, and he prays for us. While Jesus was here on earth, he himself has gone through all the pain and all the testing. Jesus knows our pain. He bears our pain. He is able to help us when we are being tested (Heb 2:18). So we can come to the throne of grace with confidence, and we will receive strength and peace when we need it most (cf. 4:16).
Stanza 3: “Still Our Refuge”
How do we experience Jesus’ easy
yoke when our burden seems so heavy and unbearable? The third stanza comforts
us and encourages us this way:
Are we weak and heavy
laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.
Jesus is still our refuge today. Once
Henri Nouwen had the opportunity to meet Mother Teresa of Calcutta. At that
time he was struggling with many things and decided to use the occasion to ask
Mother Teresa’s advice. As soon as they sat down he started explaining all his
problems and difficulties—trying to convince her of how complicated it all was!
When, after ten minutes of elaborate explanation, he finally became silent,
Mother Teresa looked at him quietly and said: “Well, when you spend one hour a
day adoring your Lord and never do anything which you know is
wrong . . . you will be fine!” After this, Nouwen shares his
reflection with us this way: “Her few words became engraved on my heart and
mind and remain to this day. I had not expected these words, but in their
directness and simplicity, they cut through to the center of my being. I knew
that she had spoken the truth and that I had the rest of my life to live it.”[1]
There are times when we feel like our burdens seem unbearable. For me personally, yesterday was one of the days. There were some concerns that made me feel stuck and hopeless. I didn’t have strength to keep going. So I went to the church sanctuary and spent almost the entire morning just praying. I just poured out all of my emotions before God like water. Then silence. Then this hymn came to my mind, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” I sang and sang and sang. I felt someone was praying for me. That someone was Jesus. At the end I felt encouraged. I regained my strength.
Colossians 3:16-17 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” When we are filled with the Spirit, we sing hymns. But the reverse is true as well. When by faith we sing hymns even in the midst of our turbulent times, we are then filled with the Holy Spirit and rejoice. When we are filled with the Spirit, we read the Bible. But the reverse is the true. When we feel empty but come and listen to His Word, we are then filled with the Holy Spirit and give thanks.
Are we weary
and carrying heaven burdens?
Do we feel
forsaken, lonely, hopeless?
Let us come to Jesus. He is still
our refuge today. There we will find rest in Christ alone. Amen.
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