by Jerry Senn
A traveling missionary once was being led to a building where lepers were going to attend the services. As the missionary watched as they came in one by one and saw that they were limping and in pain. So he asked the guide, “What shall we sing?, assuming they would call for “I must tell Jesus all of my troubles.”
To his surprise, “their swollen faces were lifted in happy expectation,” and they wanted to sing,
“Singing as I go along life’s road,
For Jesus has lifted my load.”
The apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). And James chimes in, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:3-4).
How often do we approach our Father in prayer with a list of troubles we’re dealing with? That’s certainly appropriate, however aren’t the words of David true when he wrote, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved”? (Psalm 55:22).
Whatever our troubles may be, God “has them” and will “sustain us.” If we trust His promises, shouldn’t we sing with the lepers,
“Singing as I go along life’s road,
For Jesus has lifted my load.”