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The Ministries of John "BJ" Hall

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Since January 18, 2015

Is the Yoke On You?

By Evangelist John BJ Hall

When I was young there was a farmer, we will call him Fred, who lived nearby who raised and trained oxen for work. Another neighbor had a brand new John Deere tractor. This neighbor, we will call him John, was always ribbing Fred and telling him that his tractor was better than any team Fred might put together.

One day John got his tractor stuck in a muddy part of the field. He tried everything he could think of to get his prized tractor out of the mud. Before long he heard the crack of a whip and the commands "Gee" and "Haw" as Fred drove his team of oxen into the field.

John said, “What do you think you are going to be able to do with those cows?” He continued, “The tractor is buried up to the axle. There won't be anything I can do about it until that corner of the field dries up.”

Fred smiled as he put his team in front of the tractor. He took the log chain that was draped across one of the oxen and fastened it to the front of the tractor. He then fastened it to the yoke. He said, “Now John if you will just be quiet for a bit and get up on your tractor, we will see what these girls can do.”

Fred told John to start the tractor. Then he cracked the whip and said, “HUP!” Suddenly the oxen leaned into the yoke and the chain drew tense. Once again he shouted “HUP!” and the oxen strained against their yoke. The tractor began to raise up from its position in the mud and John slowly let out on the clutch.

Again Fred shouted “HUP!” The oxen felt the movement and instinctively dug in and pulled harder. Suddenly the tractor was free from the mud and being drug across the open field by the two mighty beasts.

John learned a valuable lesson that day. When you are in a hole, it might take a yoke to get you going again.

Jesus said, "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. 30  "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30 NASB)

When a yoke is new its edges are hard and straight, but as the oxen pull on it day after day, it begins to wear down to a point that it is easy. The farmer always put the ox in the same side of the yoke. That way the wood begins to form to the shape of that particular ox. This is what Jesus is saying. My yoke is already an easy fit. He has eased the edges for us. He bore it on Calvary.

Just like Fred in our story of the yoke, Jesus has a task for us. He has called us to a purpose. In fact, He clearly directs us into that task in the Great Commission. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)  

Is His yoke on you?

The Task

Two thousand years ago our Savior came
And gave to us the right to bear His name.
But with that name, there’s a task to do.
A task that’s made for me and made for you.

He gave this task to all who trust in Him.
Those whom He has forgiven all their sin.
So if you know that He, your Savior is,
Do that task as though your all is His.

“Go ye,” He said to those with Him that day.
And they watched as clouds took Him away.
We are His hand, His feet the Bible says.
It’s up to us to teach the world His ways.

Our task is clear, and plain the path is made,
For on the Cross the price of sin was paid.
This message true, we must take to lost men,
For true it is, they’re dying in their sin.

So we are now His army in this world.
And overhead His banner is unfurled.
Now we march on, as soldiers of the Cross.
We’ll do the task, no matter what the cost.

 

© Copyright 1995 by Passages Ministries. All rights reserved.
For permission to use this poem contact Passages Ministries.

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