Just Pondering
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Rick Branan |
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (HCSB)
John H. Sammis was born in Brooklyn. He moved to Logansport, Indiana when ye was 22, where he was converted to Christianity. He was active in the Y.M.C.A., serving as secretary for the Terre Haute Association and later becoming State Secretary. After this, he studied at Lane and McCormack seminaries and was ordained in the Presbyterian church at Glidden, Iowa. He also pastored churches in Indianapolis, Grand Haven, MI, Red Wing and St. Paul, Minn. In 1909 he became associated with the Los Angeles Bible Institute. He wrote more than 100 hymns.
Dianne Shapiro
Trust and Obey
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.
Written by John H. Sammis
I don’t know the first thing about raising cattle. I appreciate those that do. A good steak or cheeseburger is delicious. Until the advent of powered machinery, animals were used to help prepare the land. Many farmers used oxen or cattle to help pull the machinery. My limited understanding of this process involved hitching a team of oxen to the machinery. A yoke was used to connect them so they would pull evenly in tandem. The yoke was carved to fit each ox specifically. One ox was usually stronger and would ease the load for the weaker ox.
Now, when we look at Matthew 11, we better understand what Christ was saying. We may not be able to pull the full weight, but He would stand alongside, under the same yoke, and teach us the ropes. Suddenly, that burden eases. We need to join Christ and let Him show us the ropes and still depend on Him. His final comment is powerful for us. His yoke will fit us perfectly and He is so awesome that His burden is nothing.
John Sammis wrote, “Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil he doth richly repay.” Christ bears our burdens and rewards our work for Him. Are you ministering for Christ? Are you letting Him carry your burdens? Sammis continues, “Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet.” Are you ready to sit at Christ’s feet? Make that decision today.
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick