I saw a very familiar scripture in an entirely new way the other day. Perhaps it is more accurate to say I saw it with an entirely new emphasis. Matthew 11:28-30 is one of my favorites.
“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.”
Whenever I read this previously my focus had been on gaining rest or help with the challenges and burdens of life. I had always skimmed over the “take my yoke” part, accepting that this meant to be a believer.
Well, that changed last Friday. I was worshipping the Lord and seeking His guidance for a word of exhortation I was to give. As I sensed the Lord calling me to a place of holy listening, I became aware of a song playing that simply repeated this scripture. Somehow it seemed like the volume increased whenever the yoke was mentioned. As I prayed and pondered several thoughts came together which I share with you today.
First off, what is a yoke? For many today the agrarian imagery that Jesus used may not be as familiar as it was to His 1st century listeners. A yoke is a type of harness used to hitch a beast of burden to a load of some sort. The burden could be a cart, something with wheels, or it might be a plow or harrow – devices used in breaking up ground. In addition to connecting to a load the yoke connected a pair or team of oxen or similar to one another so they would pull as a team. Finally the yoke provided a means for a driver to guide and direct the beast or team of beasts.
This scripture has a progression to it. It begins with coming to Jesus. For most of us this occurs when we get to the end of ourselves, a condition usually resulting in being weary and burdened. When we come to Jesus He immediately gives us a measure of tangible rest and peace. I remember this well and it was such a wonderful place to be, standing in stark contrast to the turmoil and difficulties of striving to do life in my own strength. Today, I can look back and say that this was merely an initial deposit. God has so much more in mind for each of His children if we but dive deeper into Him. Hence the progression continues.
The next step is a big one – Take My Yoke upon you. This is an invitation into the deepest, most amazing, most fulfilling journey this life offers. However Jesus leaves the decision up to us whether to slip ourselves into the yoke. As the description of a yoke above mentions this yoke will harness us to the work Jesus has planned for us. In some instances it will connect us with others pulling in the same direction, lifting the same load. It also provides a means for Jesus to lead and direct us. All of these things play out in taking Jesus’ yoke upon us.
One of the greatest benefits of wearing Jesus’ yoke is that we become pupils of the Master. Jesus says, “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart…” There are many, many things He will teach us and I am convinced that for each one of us He knows us well enough to teach us in exactly the manner we need for exactly the work He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). But this scripture points to a universal “learning” when Jesus alludes to two of His character traits that we are to emulate – gentle and humble in heart. Being fitted into Jesus’ harness will cultivate gentleness and humility that blesses those the Lord sends us to and opens doors to being Jesus’ hands and feet.
As we willingly wear the yoke we will find the character of Jesus being created in us. By His Holy Spirit we are transformed into the faith-filled followers we were created to be. And the rest we were given when we first came to Him becomes a soul-satisfying, deep and abiding “rest for your souls”. It is as different in scale as a spring rain is from a raging hurricane.
It is at this point that we realize the Lord has given us work which we have accomplished without fanfare and seemingly without extraordinary effort on our part. Yet these things are well beyond what we could have envisioned from the outset. Following the Lord, doing the work He gives us – making disciples, caring for the hurting and sorrowful, meeting the needs of those in want, encouraging the fainthearted, preaching the Word, living a life that rejects sin, but embraces the sinner with Christ’s love – these tasks, these burdens become lightly carried, yet effectively accomplished.
This scripture offers us rest, but it offers so much more. Life as a Jesus-follower is a life of growth and constant transformation. Where He will take us is beyond our comprehension, but it is also good beyond comparison.
Be blessed today and allow the Lord to bless through you as you take on His yoke and live.
areliablefaith 