Press Along Weary Pilgrim

I was ironing my clothes the other day, and once I was finished, I unplugged the iron and set it on the end of the ironing board to cool. All of the sudden, the iron let out an audible sigh as it released what steam it was holding back. I thought, "I know, little iron..me too!" That iron had done his job. He was tired, and I got it! Because I tend to think in puns, my mind immediately went back to an old hymn we sang in the church I grew up in: Press Along, Weary Pilgrim. At least I didn't actually say that to the iron, but I did think it!

That little iron had pressed all he wanted to press for a while. Even still, tomorrow I will go to the closet and get out that little iron and plug him back in. I expect that he will heat up and fill with steam, and stand at attention, waiting on my hand to guide him along my wrinkled clothes. There's really no other tool I can use that can serve the same purpose as he does as well as him. Thankfully, he won't complain, and he likely won't refuse to work. He will do his job, pressing on, working to iron the wrinkles out of my clothes so I can go out the door looking and feeling my best.

We all feel like that little iron occasionally. We work at our jobs, we work in and around our homes, we work at keeping our families well fed and nicely clothed. We volunteer in our communities, we help at our schools and serve at our churches. We work at being the right kind of neighbor, the right kind of friend and the right kind of Christian. We work, and work, and work some more. Yet, still it seems our work is never really done.

Much of the work we do seems to go completely unnoticed. A lot of it appears to be unappreciated as well. Sometimes even as hard as we work at something, someone else will tell us it isn't good enough. It's sometimes tempting to just wave the white flag and give up altogether! But like that little iron, no one can do whatever it is that each of us do in quite the same way as we do it. We are all called to our own unique purposes! Just as I reach into the closet to get my iron down for the task ahead and fully expect it to be ready to use, God reaches for us to do His work here on earth. He calls for us to be ready to go!

Because of life's stresses and responsibilities, we are often found running from His reach. Sadly, we don't always see our position as a servant as the blessing it is intended to be. Instead, we do what we have to do with a heart of frustration and irritation, drudging through the day as if we feel cheated in some way to have to serve. We feel resentful that it falls on us to do. We get overwhelmed. We want to be unplugged and left alone on the ironing board to cool!

Even though we obviously need rest too, we are expected to work and to work as diligently and as hard as we can. The bible addresses this, and God has much to say about our attitude in serving as well. He guides us not just about working, but working with a happy heart and not giving up when you tire out:


Romans 12:11 NIV

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord


Mark 10:45 (NIV)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

Collosians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

We have to press on, no matter how weary we get. Turn your mind toward God and His purposes for you. Allow yourself to feel honored that God trusts you with responsibilities, and honor Him by doing your very best with them. Ask Him for the steam and fervor you need to get the job done. Ask Him where to serve. Then, press along weary pilgrim, press on!