I Can Find Rest

Perhaps the most common statement I hear from people who are struggling against God is, "I can't." They hear about God's picture for their lives, but don't believe it is possible. They think about the way things have been, the way the world "really works" today, and give up before they even try. The result is that they are defeated before they get started. They "want" to walk with God, but they don't because they "can't." I thought it might be helpful to review a few things that God assures us we can do, because God gives us everything we need to do them. Here's the first one for this week:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

I can find rest with God.

The past several weeks has been a whirlwind of activity for Traci and me. The activity hasn't just been busyness. It's been emotionally and spiritually taxing as well. Our Cincinnati family and our Valparaiso Church-family has been illness, hospitalizations, surgeries, hospice, and death. Between the two, we have lost four people over the past two weeks - all unexpectedly.

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. (Matthew 11:29 NIV)

It is in times like these that I like to remember that God offers rest for my soul. The image of a yoke may seem strange for us today, but it would have made perfect sense for Jesus' audience in his day. A yoke simply connects two cattle together so they can pull the weight of a plow or anything else attached to the center of the yoke.  Each cattle pulls its fair share of the weight.

You may think to yourself, "I don't want any yoke at all!"  I want to free from any burden.  Our reality, though, is that we all carry burdens.  It's a reality of the world and the era in which we live.  The only question is, "Who is connected to your yoke?"  When the enemy is connected, he works against you, drags his feet, and adds to your burden.  Whatever he can do to make things more difficult or miserable for you, he will.  This becomes a yoke of slavery.  You can't break free and it is miserable.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

When we take on Jesus' yoke, we are not just taking a piece of wood from Jesus.  We are connecting ourselves to Jesus.  He is the other one connected to the yoke with us.  When he is connected, he stands strong.  He works hard.  He carries more than half the weight.  When we walk in step with him, the burden is even lighter because he is the stronger one of the two.  This makes the burden much lighter and the walk much easier, even when things get tough.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30 NIV)

How about you?  Which yoke do you carry?  Who is on the other side of that yoke?  Do you stay in step with him?  Can you tell the difference?