Signs of Hope

By Syd Hielema

“The Spirit of the Lord . . . has anointed me to proclaim good news . . . and . . . the year of the Lord’s favor.” — Luke 4:18-19

Sometimes I worship with a congregation in a maximum security prison. The good news of God’s grace moves powerfully and deep in that congregation. The worship often includes testimonies of changed lives. The preaching hits straight to the heart, mixing humor with seriousness. The singing is passionate, even boisterous, led by the musically skilled jailhouse band. Worshipers from every race come together in unity to pray, praise, and be ministered to.

These verses from Luke 4 remind me of that community. And while many of the worshipers there have life sentences, as I think about Jesus’ words “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners,” I realize that these worshipers are truly free! Their eyes shine with gratitude, their voices let loose in praise, their hands reach out to one another in tangible expressions of the communion of saints.

Every worship service ends with the community forming a large circle, holding hands, and singing, “My friends, may you grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. . . . To God be the glory. . . .”

Pondering why the worship blessings there are so rich, I am drawn to the phrase “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” I realize how easily I like worship to match “my favor.” And I have learned that the saints in that prison are my role models for worship, for living out Jesus’ declaration of free, new life. Thank you, brothers!

Jesus, thank you for proclaiming the Lord’s favor, and for the free, new life it brings. Amen.

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Partnered with Jesus

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus’ invitation to be yoked with him may seem puzzling. A yoke pairs two oxen side by side so that they can pull together to get hard work done. That raises a couple of questions: (1) How can we possibly fit into a yoke designed to fit Jesus? and (2) What does this work have to do with “rest,” being “easy,” and a “burden [that] is light?” What kind of invitation calls people who are “weary and burdened” and offers them a yoke that puts them to work?

Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of this passage in The Message may help: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

The yoke fits easily on us, because it fits Jesus perfectly, and he’s shaping us to become like him. Inside the “unforced rhythms of grace,” even the line between work and rest is blurred.

Are you weary? Take on the partner-yoke and let the one who is “gentle and humble in heart” be your yoke-teacher.

Jesus, yes, I am weary. Place your grace-shaped yoke on me, that I may find rest in working alongside you. Amen.