Laying Down our Yoke

“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

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly life can turn on its head and we suddenly must adapt to the rippling effects of change. In just a week, there have been 3 families who are experiencing life changing events. I have always loved this passage with the image of a gentle and safe falling place in Jesus. I’ve read this so many times and have never really looked up the word yoke for context. Daniel Passini, Doctor of Theology explained that every person who was in the audience of Jesus would immediately understand the analogy of a yoke. A yoke was the wooden frame placed on the neck of two animals to lighten the load of the cargo they were to carry. As soon as the animals felt the yoke placed on them, they understood work was coming. It was still very heavy and burdensome for the animals. Jesus spoke of putting on His yoke which was ‘easy and light,’ but the prerequisite was one that we so easily forget when the crisis hits…we must come…take…and learn if we are to find the rest we need.

Some days we are inclined to seek Him when we are exhausted and burdened by the weight of our circumstances. Other times, we must be intentional in searching for the ‘easy and light’ yoke that Jesus offers. Christ’s yoke was anything but easy when He speaks of everything that we can access from Him. His yoke was the trauma of the cross, but His gentle and humble heart still chose it for you and for me. He allowed man to place that wooden frame upon His neck so we wouldn’t have to carry the load of sin and death.

Who doesn’t want to find rest for their soul this morning? Who is weary and troubled looking for help to disburse the weight of the burden? Go to Jesus…take from Jesus…find rest in Jesus.