Matthew 11:28-30 has been everywhere lately. I’m starting to get the hint and am processing what’s packed into these 3 verses. Countless books and commentaries have been written on them. Today, I’d love to share just a glimpse of what He’s put on my heart. I pray it encourages you to dig deeper!

“Come to me, all 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.” (NIV)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (MSG)

What a powerful invitation… To be yoked with Jesus. To come to Him and be joined together with Him. To follow His lead. To trust that He doesn’t put anything heavy or ill-fitting on me. To believe that He’s with me, right by my side, that His spirit is in me making me strong. That He’s showing me how to carry the load He’s given me, and that He never leaves me to bear it alone.

I thought of the verse that says not to be unequally yoked. (“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14). With this picture in mind, I couldn’t help but think how I’m unequally yoked to Jesus. He’s so much greater; He’s perfect. I’m not a good match for Him.

Before I could continue down this thought path, God kindly reminded me that when He sees me, He sees Jesus. I’m covered because of His Son’s sacrifice. He’s enough for me.

I read through Jon Courson’s Commentary on these verses, and love the picture it paints. “Since there was always a lead ox yoked together with one who would follow, the yoke was designed in such a way that the lead ox would pull the greater weight. The follower, or assistant ox, was just to go with the flow” (pg 84).

It actually is unfair; it’s uneven and unequal but the yoke is designed on purpose to distribute the weight to the One who can carry it.

I’m called to go with His flow. (Confession: this is hard for me.)

I opened my chronological Bible reading for today and my mouth dropped at the sight of Lamentations 1:14… it talked about a yoke!

“My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together. They have come upon my back and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has handed me over to those I cannot withstand.”

My yoke used to be one of sin; it used to be one of slavery. I listened to the father of lies and followed the way of the world.

The day I was saved, I was set free from this yoke of sin. The day I was saved, Jesus invited me to be yoked to Him, to be by His side on this journey heavenward.

However, many times along the way, I have left that light and easy yoke. I’ve taken matters into my own hands and strapped myself to a yoke I was never meant to carry.

That yoke is called religion.

It was never His intention that we carry this kind of yoke. Our shoulders weren’t created for it. We try so hard to live up to expectations but we’re bound by rules and weighed down by performance, buckling under the pressure that we’ve already been set free from.

“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… The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” – Galatians 5:1-2, 6b-8

We must guard against being burdened again by a yoke of slavery. We are children of God, not slaves to sin. We were bought at a price – with the precious blood of Jesus. How do ensure we’re not being crushed by the weight of religion?

Relationship.

We walk with Jesus. We talk to God. We spend time with Holy Spirit. We keep coming to Him.

We let Him teach us the unforced rhythms of grace. We follow His example. We keep company with Him and learn to live freely and lightly.

And we remember: there is no shame or condemnation when we stumble or get distracted, or when we allow someone to cut in our race.

We just need to look up to Jesus and find that He’s already there, arm outstretched, ready to take another step forward with us.

Jesus takes great delight and joy being joined with us. We are not a burden to Him. We don’t slow Him down. He’s not in a hurry. He’s not rushed. We are not an inconvenience to Him.

Let go of worry and hurry and the weight of the world. God is seated on the throne; He’s in control. His Fatherly love never fails. He is always trustworthy, always worthy of our trust.

Draw near. Stay close. Lean in. Listen to His heart beat.

This yoke is a good fit for us. It’s not a chain or shackle, it’s not a weight to be despised. It’s a gift from our Father to join us to Jesus and keep us close by.