Tell it to Jesus
Text: Psalm 42 & 43
INTRODUCTION
A father and son decided to go on a journey with their family donkey as the means of transportation. So, the father put his son on the donkey and they took off happily. Soon they came to some strangers who remarked, “Children of nowadays! He will let his old father walk while he rides the donkey! I don’t know what the world is coming to!”
At that father and son made an adjustment. The father took his turn on the donkey, while the son walked. They came to yet some other strangers. On seeing this the strangers remarked, “What a shameless man! How can he let his young son walk while he enjoys the donkey ride alone?”
The father immediately pulled his son up on the donkey and the two of them were enjoying the ride together. They came to the third group of strangers. They stopped father and son and said, “Have mercy on the poor beast, the weight of the two of you will kill it!”
Father and son dismounted and were soon walking alongside their donkey. They came across yet another group of strangers. One of the strangers shook his head and said, “poor donkey she is very tired, if this were mine, I’d carry her. Look at her, poor thing!” The father and son stopped tied the donkey to their backs and carried her!
When they arrived at their destination people came out in their multitudes to laugh at the spectacle of a father and son carrying their donkey!
The moral of the story is that we cannot please everyone. It is an illusion and a source of great frustration to try and please people. People who try to please others will soon fall into a pit of depression. It is a sure ticket to depression to try and make it your life ambition to please people! As I said earlier, people can be cruel! They will attack you even without cause. You will spend night after night in sleeplessness asking yourself where you went wrong. You will run the breathless following after every single person seeking their forgiveness and understanding. The Psalmist in Psalm 43:1-2 gives us a way out in such a situation and it does not involve the wearisome ways I’ve pointed out here.
- A Prayer for Redress
Nothing wears out a soul more and sinks one deeper into a depression that a false accusation. It tears your soul and causes constant grinding pain in your heart. The problem is that lies and half-truths spread like a wildfire, before you know it the whole village and indeed the whole town is talking about you behind your back! One is easily tempted to confront those who speak or run around trying to clear their name. Both I think are really futile, you can only do that to people who come to you but not to the multitude who doesn’t. There is only one sure way. Lay it before the feet of Jesus.
The Psalmist in Psalm 43:1a invites God to vindicate him from unfaithful people. He asks God to plead his case. This invitation shows his confidence that God will, in His time, show the truth. The Psalmist does not run after his enemies. He simply lays it before God to plead his cause. He is sure that God has His own ways to declare the truth. He fully trusts that God will cancel every word, every whisper spoken in a dark hidden place, against the Psalmist. He is also sure that God’s testimony cannot be ignored. So he calls God to his defense. I don’t think that there is a better way to deal with false accusations than simply let God deal with them. I know it takes a lot of courage, humility, and patience to do this, but trust me it is the best thing to do. Allow God to fight your battles.
When King Hezekiah was besieged and belittled by Sennacherib the Assyrian. He constantly ran to the temple for help. But what captures me is when he receives a threatening letter and he lays it before God.
“Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.” 2 Kings 19:14
2. A Prayer for Rescue
Sometimes rumors overtake you and spread faster than you can arrest them. You find yourself cornered in a web of lies. Sometimes you even suffer because of false accusations! The Psalmist in his hour of distress turns to God for rescue. He cries to God to deliver him from false accusations. From people who are deceitful and wicked. Once again he does not try to defend himself or speak against his accusers, he simply asks a God to rescue him.
Sometimes when we are falsely accused we run the risk of retaliation and enter into the mud-slinging arena with our opponents. Let’s not get tempted to do so. Instead, let’s walk the high road of letting God rescue you from all the traps and tapestry of lies woven against you. It is interesting that when you let God vindicate you, your inner peace will come back. You will be free from the burden of self-defense. You can rest knowing that however long it takes. He will rescue you!
I recommend Psalm 17 for quiet meditation and prayerful consideration.
3. A prayer of Resilience
Sometimes it is all we can do. Stand our ground and refuse to be moved. In fact that is what we should always do! The Psalmist in 43:2 expresses his confidence in God and refuses to go on feeling rejected and in mourning oppressed by his enemies. Standing your ground in faith is something we all must learn. Setting boundaries as to how low we can go in our depression. Coming to a point where we express confidence in God as the only stronghold in a transient world. The Psalmist comes to an abrupt halt and wonders why he should go on being depressed when he has God as his stronghold. When we declare God as our stronghold then there is no enemy greater than our defense! We must not go on being afraid. We can rest knowing that we have told it to the most powerful.
So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:6
Today I will leave you with the beautiful words of the hymn that makes the title of our sermon. Don’t listen to people or try to argue with them simply tell it to Jesus.
TELL IT TO JESUS
1. Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or
brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.
2. Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
3. Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
4. Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.