Mathew 11:25-30
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart;
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:29
This is another paradox. Yoke and rest do not correlate. If you carry yoke, there is no rest. To rest, you have to drop the yoke; a yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull. It is not an easy task to carry and pull a yoke. It is hard labour for the animals and the yoke driver. Now, the Lord tells us, carry my yoke and you will find rest! It looks contradictory and yet a profound truth. According to Matthew Henry, the yoke that Jesus speaks of is a free gift to us that requires a willing submission on our part. It leads to a pasture of surrender and trust. It is to drop our heavy yoke in exchange for his light yoke. It is to obey the dictates of Christ to yield ourselves to the Lord.
Yielding to the Lord is to drop your heavy yoke and take up his light one. This means we shall be joined to him; he would be the driver, we move when he moves, we stop when he stops; we follow his directions to where he leads; do what he asks us to do. We are no longer independent or sufficient without him. And that is how to find rest unto our souls.
Being yoked with him implies being joined together with him. We are where he wants us to be. We don’t take steps without him. This is the life we should live. He is our yoke mate. Are you aware that being yoked with him guarantees his presence in our lives? And if the Lord be with you, it pays dividends of peace, rest, provision, security and divine direction. You need rest in life? Take his yoke upon you.
MEDITATION: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11: 28.
