Saturday, May 28, 2011
Matthew 11:29 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.
YOKED WITH JESUS
Out on the prairie near Lemmon, SD, deeply rutted tracks left by Conestoga wagons going West well over 100 years ago can still be seen. Pairs of oxen harnessed together in wooden yokes pulled most of those wagons. The yokes were designed to enable the animals to pull the heavily loaded prairie schooners as efficiently and safely as possible. After all, to injure or overwork those valuable beasts of burden could cost their owners everything, even their lives.
Yokes similar to these were also used in Jesus' day. In fact, some extra-biblical traditions say that as a carpenter Jesus Himself made such wooden harnesses. In the Bible the term yoke is used to describe people made to do hard work or the bearing of some burden or being teamed together in some activity. The rabbis of Jesus' time described the relationship between teacher and student as being yoked together.
Of course, what was taught by a particular rabbi and how he taught it would determine how hard a work it was to be in that teacher's yoke.
Here's where Jesus was -- and is -- so different from the other teachers of His day. Mostly Pharisees, those other rabbis not only taught people they had to earn a place with God by keeping His commandments, they added to God's Law their own list of requirements -- based on their own interpretation of divine Law.
What a contrast with Jesus! To this day He teaches those whom He calls to His side that as our Substitute He fulfilled God's Law in our stead. Furthermore, ever at the side of His believers, Jesus pours into our hearts the power of His love -- so that we gladly walk the way our heavenly Father directs us in His holy Law.
In the yoke with Jesus, living as God's redeemed, restored and forgiven children -- this is not a crushing burden but a joyful adventure, not something we're whipped into doing but a marvelous part of being co-workers with the Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us.
