The Yoke of Christ

   “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 light.” (Matt 11: 29 – 30)

   Few people understand the concept of the yoke.  Years ago, teams of oxen were yoked together to provide the strength needed to work the fields, pull wagons, and do many other chores of the land which required their pulling power.

   To properly yoke a team, one must know the capabilities of those to be yoked and the yoke must be customized specifically for that team.  One ox may be a bit shorter or the other a bit stronger.  The yoke is designed to take advantage of the individual capabilities of each while protecting both from harm and injury caused by a mismatch.

   Jesus implores us to take His yoke upon us.  We are to team ourselves with Him in this life.  The yoke we are to bear is customized by Christ who knows our strengths and weaknesses.  He is part of our team; His strength makes up for our weaknesses.  He will not push us beyond our limits and will always share the difficulties we may encounter.  He allows us to depend on Him and His strength, helping us grow in our own abilities.

   By being properly yoked with Jesus, we will have all we need to plow the field of our soul so that good seed can be sown.  We will have the strength to pull the harvester to collect the crop and the wagon that takes it to market.  In union with our Lord all things are possible.

   Our burden will be lighter when we trust in Jesus to help us carry the load.  Our heart can be at rest when we are confident and trusting in God and His eternal love and mercy.  When we join ourselves to Christ nothing can stop our journey to heaven.

Lord we are weak and troubled.

We come to You seeking Your help.

In You is strength, in You is peace of heart.

May we walk with You in all we do.

Amen