I read a story told by a preacher who was remembering a youth who was riding a bicycle of a hill, against the wind. The boy was having great difficulty, barely making it and it seemed certain that he would have to soon give up his effort when a trolley car came by, which was pulling up the hill at a speed that allowed the boy to take hold. Finishing the ride uphill and against the wind was no longer a problem as long as he held on until he reached the top.
A few years back, my wife and I attached our bikes to the rack on the back of our car and headed to Texas to do a little riding with the two granddaughters, who had been riding with training wheels but were gaining in confidence. The oldest, warned us, "I'm really, really fast!" We assured her we could keep up and she added, "I'm just saying, I'm really, really fast!"
The really, really fast part was true compared to her little sister but was just enough for us to keep our bikes upright in 1st gear and somewhat faster going down grade (there are no actual hills to go down in that part of Texas). However, all forward motion stopped when going up the grade until we took hold and helped pull them along. They did well to hang on to their bikes while we walked ours, pulling them along.
Not everyone has a trolley car experience or even a day out with grandparents who pulled your bike along. But all of us have faced and uphill experience, against the wind, where we needed something or someone to take hold of in order to continue to the top. We all reach the point where we need to take hold or someone to take hold of us if we are to make it any further.
This is precisely what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 11:28-30, when he invites us to "Come to me, all you who are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." A yoke is an instrument used to allow farm animals to pull a load. Getting in one does not produce a resting experience unless one is moving from a single yoke to a double yoke, where there is help to pull the over-burden.
When we are yoked with Jesus, we still have to face the uphill climb, against the wind. But now, what was too much is well within our grasp as we hold on to his hand. And sometimes, all we can do is let him hold on to us. Do you recall the poem, "Footprints?" Sometimes there were two sets, while he walked with us and then only one when he had to carry us.
I read an updated version where the Lord points out the two sets of prints where we walked together, the one set where he was carrying us then the long grooves where he was dragging us, kicking and screaming. If you question whether or not God would ever do such a thing, check out the Book of Jonah. While princibly we are always free to choose, there are occasions when God will apply discipline to encourage us in the right direction (see Hebrews 12:4-13 "God chastens everyone he accepts as a son").
What I hope you take away from this message is that, while God can and will take hold of us at times, generally, he waits for us to take hold of him when we are facing a burden too great for us to handle alone. When the hill is too steep and the wind is too strong, reach out for the Lord and take hold of his hand. He will ease your burden by adding his strength. As Paul writes, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13). Jus' Say'n.
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