Friday the 11th

 

Matthew 11: ²⁹ 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.

 

When Christ asks to take up His yoke, we often think, of a burden. After all a yoke is typically heavy, however Christ assures us His is light. So why use the word yoke? Have you ever yoked a pair of horses, or cattle? Once the yoke is on, if one goes left, the other goes left, if one goes right, so the other also follows. They are joined, not through a loose binding such as lead ropes, or halters, but a true binding that allows both to operate as one unit, harnessing all the strength and force that each has available. Now let me ask you, which way would you want to be united with the Lord? For me I will take the yoke anytime! It is the equivalent of a Shetland pony yoked with a Clydesdale. There is no way I am going to be able to plow my field by myself, but if I can rely on the strength of Christ to help me, than not only will I get it plowed, but I will have time to rest! If I am yoked to Christ, not only do I get to use His strength, but now, if I go left……He is coming with me! If I go right…..there He is….but best of all, when I get lost, when I get scared, when I think I can’t make it, I only have to look to my side to see the compass, the protection, and the strength that I need…..anytime, and all of the time. Christ goes on to tell us that He is gentle, and humble in heart. What He is telling us is that if we are yoked to Him, He will look out for us. Could you imagine being yoked to a locomotive? When it goes it will yank you out of your shoes! If it takes a sharp turn it might just snap your neck. Not so With Christ. He has the strength of a million locomotives, but He is gentle, He is humble in heart. HE will use His power to aid you, not force you. He will use it to comfort you, not dominate you. A better partner you will not find here on Earth, or in the Heavenly realms. Christ finishes by offering the one thing that we all need….rest for the soul. Just hearing that term makes me feel better. Rest for the soul…who does not need it? In this world that pulls at you from the moment you wake up to the moment you close your eyes, the world that will follow you into your bed and rob you of sleep….I ask you, who does not need rest? It is a daunting pace to keep without a break, and that break, that rest is waiting for you; you just need to pick up that yoke and hook up to the Christ, and you will find rest. Interesting thing about the word rest the Greek word used “anapausis”, means intermission and by implication recreation…..not just rest with the Lord, but recreation with the Lord. Everyone feels better after an intermission, but if that intermission happens to be filled with recreation how much more rested will you feel? I urge you, do not settle for a halter or a lead rope, take up the yoke, and hook it to the Lord. For the strength, the power, the love, and the help you will get to rely on will sustain you through the day and the ages, while the rest you will find will be beyond comparison.

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

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www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com