Matthew 11:25-30 "The Weightless Yoke"

Read Matthew 11:25-30.

"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." NIV

Because Christ has chosen to reveal the Father to us (vs. 27) we can come to Him, take His yoke, and find rest for our souls. I love the image presented here. I think of two oxen with yokes around their necks. Before Christ, I yoked myself with something -- my own desires, ambition, selfishness, maybe to an addiction or hobby, my career. Whatever it was, I carried the burden for both sides. It's like having half the yoke around my neck and reaching out with one arm to hold up the other half. It's impossible to maintain. Exhaustion, discouragement, and failure are inevitable although many people continue living this way for years.

But when we yoke up with Christ, half the yoke is on His shoulders. And because He is so much bigger than me, my half of the yoke is literally raised off of my shoulders. I'm no longer carrying any of the burden -- He carries it all. It's like yoking up an ox with a Shetland pony. The pony has no control over the direction he takes, but he also has no weight to carry. He goes where the ox takes him -- burden free.

Now the huge difference here is we and Christ are not animals. I'm not some little Shetland pony being led around by a dumb ox. I am yoked with the Son of the Almighty Creator of the Universe. I am yoked with the Savior of Man. I am yoked with God Himself who loves me and cares about where I go and what I do. I am yoked with the Healer, the Provider, the Everlasting. Why wouldn't I willingly give up control to Him. He loves me, cares about me and desires for no harm to come to me. And when it does, if I will just let Him steer the yoke, I will be able to navigate the obstacles. The Lover of My Soul is shouldering the burdens I am supposed to carry. So instead, my soul can be at rest. He is in control.

Further Thoughts:

1. Are you tired? Ready to give up control? He'll take it and carry the burden for you. Simply trust Him and surrender. Take some time right now to write down or verbally list all the things you need Him to take control of and then let Him.
2. I had a former pastor that wore a yoke on a chain around his neck. He was never without it. If you are an artist, maybe you want to draw a yoke or mold one out of clay to remind you to not worry, but rest your soul in the arms of Christ.