Friday, April 24, 2020

His Yoke


“Come to Me all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For My
yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
     Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

I've been chafing under these distancing restrictions and the isolation imposed upon us. Even if the measures are reasonable and necessary for a time, my flesh still rebels. Like a dog pulling against collar and leash or a horse against bridle and bit. But this kind of struggle is usually futile and often brings negative results—and indeed, all I've done by fretting to be free from these constraints is make myself irritable and frustrated. 

By comparison, the Lord Jesus invites us to take His yoke upon us and He assures us that by doing so we will find rest.  In farming terms, a yoke is a harness, a restrictive device, but Jesus says that His yoke is easy. One of my study Bibles comments that in this passage, Jesus is contrasting the heavy burden of legalism the Jews were chafing under with a personal relationship with Him (the yoke) that brings joy and peace, and enables obedience to Him and righteousness (the burden). 

What I know is that when I come to Christ with a surrendered heart every day, I find rest for my soul. When I depend upon Him for all things, the burdens of the day seem lighter. I’ve learned to cherish the yoke of Jesus because it symbolizes His protection, His provision and His guidance.  I love His yoke upon me because it means that I am His possession, His child.

Are you finding rest today within the yoke of Jesus by learning from His gentle and lowly example? Are your burdens lightened by giving them to Him in trusting dependence?

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