"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."Matthew 11:28-30. NIV.
I wonder at Jesus' words, "Take my yoke upon you," after all, isn't a yoke a hard chaffing wooden thing used to harness a pair of animals to a plow or wagon? A yoke is an ugly thing that made the animals able to serve in the fields. What fun is that? When Jesus invites us to come to him, the "yoke" is part of coming; we come to serve God. We don't just come to attend parties, events, retreats, and the fun stuff of the Christian community, but also we come to Jesus to fulfill God's purpose for us- and it is service. My reaction might be, "I don't want a yoke!" but I realize I am already wearing a yoke in vain service to self and an unloving master called sin. Why not trade that harsh yoke for the one Jesus offers? To "take" the yoke of Jesus is a choice. Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The people Jesus spoke to were burdened with heavy rules and regulations, but he offers a relationship of faith, not laws and commandments.
This yoke has a strange effect; we learn from Jesus. We all need to learn about Jesus and his teachings. I think every Christian needs to be in a group Bible study; every Christian needs to read and learn his Bible and Christian teachings, but we will never truly learn without service. I know if I never take up the yoke of service, I will never get beyond a Gerber Baby Food type of Christianity.
The great wonder of it all is what I learn. I learn that Jesus is "gentle and humble in heart." He is not harsh and criticizing; he is gentle and caring. He is not arrogant. Instead, he is humble. The yoke binds two, and he is the one on the other half pulling side by side with me. He does not leave me alone to pull along in this sorry world but joins in my hardships. I see this as a Yoke of Fellowship, and it is fellowship with one who is kind and loving in all he does.
How wonderful that in coming to Jesus and taking his yoke, we find rest for our souls. Who would have thought it would be so? I hope you have come to Jesus and are finding rest in service to him today and always.
(c) Adron 8/13/09
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