Matthew 11 - 8.7.24
Scripture
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV).
Observation
We hear Jesus’s comforting invitation “come to me, you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”. When we come to Him, we receive rest. Jesus further invites us to partner with Him, and to take his yoke upon us. I remember seeing farmers in India use oxen to plough rice fields, when I was very young. A yoke is a piece of wood designed to put over the neck of two animals, so that they go in the same direction pulling the plough and accomplish what they are supposed to do. The yoke keeps the two animals together, distributing the weight of the plough equally between them and making them go in the same direction to till the field. Without the yoke, the animals will go in different directions and the field does not get tilled. Nowadays you no longer see the ox and the yoke, as they have been replaced by tractors.
Jesus is inviting us to give Him our burdens and in exchange take his yoke on our shoulders. He assures us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Jesus is always with us, and he cares for us. His word asks us to cast our worries and burdens on Him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). He has promised to be with us at every step. He has promised to hold our hand always and help us (Isaiah:41:13). He has promised to direct our steps. When we take His yoke on us, one side of the yoke is on our shoulders, but the other side of the yoke is on His shoulders. When we take his yoke on our shoulders and follow His lead, we learn from Him. He is gentle and humble in heart. (Matt:11:29). His yoke is not like the world’s yoke which crushes. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Application
All of us labor in the fields that God has planted us, and at times life gets overwhelming. When I feel overwhelmed, I remember this verse, “come to me you who labor and are heavy-laden, I will give you rest”. Instead of going to the world’s avenues of entertainment for rest, let's go to the feet of Jesus for rest. Only in His presence is true rest. When worry hits, let's take all the anxiety and worries to Him in prayer. Once you give it to Him, leave it with Him and receive his rest in exchange, knowing that He will take care of it. He has created each one of us with a unique purpose and calling. We can accomplish His purpose in our life, only by partnering with Him, by taking His yoke on us. Let us give our desires and plans to Him in prayer, and ask Him to direct our steps. He will direct our steps and show us where to turn at every step, and every crossroad, and in the million decisions we need to take in a day. He has promised to direct our steps when we trust in the Lord with all our heart, lean not on our own understanding and acknowledge Him in all our ways (Prov 3:5-6).
Prayer
Father, I thank you for loving me. I thank you God for daily bearing my burdens (Psalms 68:19-20). Thank you Jesus for calling me to you, so that I find rest for my soul. I want to take your yoke upon me and follow your lead and learn from you as I go through life. Show me how to do that everyday. Help me to bring all my anxieties to you and cast it at your feet, and receive your peace in exchange. Help me to prioritize my time with you everyday above everything else in life. Help me to love you with all my heart, all my soul, and all my strength (Deut: 6:5). Make my life a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Romans 12:1). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
- Asha Chacko George
