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 11:29-30 (NASB1995)
I must confess I really love the rural explanations of our Lord Jesus; being a lad from the countryside, I can grasp what is being said. That is the case in our scripture today; yokes were some of the tools used by rural folk in Jesus’ time.
Being a carpenter by trade, our Lord probably made many yokes, both for cattle and for people. I can imagine Him trying the human yokes for carrying water buckets, just to be sure they were a good fit. Yokes for cattle made it easy for the burden to be shared and for two animals to walk in a straight line together. Water yokes made a heavy load easier to carry and to balance.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3
As redeemed children of God through Jesus our Saviour, we are yoked with Him. Our joint yoke is made of two parts; first, the Commandments (The Word of God), which we must apply daily. Second, there is the example set for us by our Lord Jesus, in how to be a servant.
If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
John 13:14-15
Dear Reader, one of the examples of our Lord is how to be willing to serve, not seeking the place of honor – it is a burden we need to be willing to share with Him every day, walking with Him to our final rest in Heaven someday.
Thus says the LORD,
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
And you will find rest for your souls…’
Jeremiah 6:16a
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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