I know I am yoked to Jesus my Lord and Savior, but some days it feels as if weights are loaded on my shoulder and I alone am carrying them. Of course that is a ridiculous thought. I feel weighed down with fatigue, I am literally weighed down because I am overweight, and occasionally I receive so many prayer requests for critically ill people that I am exhausted with warfare type prayer. However, all this being said, I am yoked to the Lord. As an Episcopalian for many decades I heard the following comfortable words each Sunday during church:
(I decided to go way way way back to the 1928 prayer book, because I found it online 1st.)
Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn to him.
COME unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. St. Matt. xi. 28.
So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. St. John iii. 16.
Hear also what Saint Paul saith. This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15.
Hear also what Saint John saith. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the Propitiation for our sins. 1 St. John ii. 1, 2.
These are but a few reasons that we know God does not want us to carry the weight of the world around with us. He wants us to give it to Him and leave it with Him. Resist the temptation to pick it back up and lug it around with you. Even during the darkest times of our life, the Lord can and does restore us and revive us. The Holy Spirit will refresh us. To receive refreshing turn to the Lord and let Him be the Lord. The bumper sticker says: Let Go and Let God.
Ask for a spiritual, mental, and or physical refreshing whenever you need it. He's a generous God just waiting to bless you.
Now I am going way back in time and thinking of all the years I acknowledged and bewailed my manifold sins each Sunday before Communion...I think I will find my 1928 prayer book and flip through it, I probably remember most of the liturgy as we were in church almost every Sunday when I was growing up as well as in chapel each school day.
Remember you are yoked to Jesus, He makes the burden light. Most importantly, remember He loves you!
5 comments:
Amen, Annette. How I thank Him for restoring, reviving, and refreshing us!
Refreshing words for a difficult time. Thank you.
How is your dad doing this day? You all are in my prayers.
I can so relate to feeling weighted down. Hugs to you dear sister. It is so good that you keep looking to Jesus. It is the best way. It is the only way. He is sufficient for His power is made perfect in weakness!
I love the liturgy of the Word in that prayer book, too. I am praying for you, for your dad and for your mother. I thought of the verse in "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" as I read your post: "The Cross before me; the world behind me...no turning back, no turning back." You are not alone, my friend. Long days, though, and it does seem to be particularly oppressive lately. Keep looking ahead to Him. Love, Annette
That is a beautiful and timely reminder Annette. Praying your Dad is doing better.
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