Give it to Jesus
Matthew 11: 28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Vs.29 “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. VS.30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
It can be very easy for someone to be overcome with day to day living experiences, and allow those experiences good or bad to control their thoughts, actions, speech or how they feel.
Depending on the extent of what a person might be experiencing, it can look like there is no one, or nowhere to turn to for a solution for the problem at hand.
Fortunately, Jesus has given the answer for anyone who feels that they are “heavy laden”. When the decision is made to “give it to Jesus”, He gives rest.
In the passage of scripture (Matthew 11:28, 29 and 30) Jesus, not only promises to give rest, He also tells what needs to done to receive this rest; “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.”
In ancient times and still today in modern society, a yoke was a harness fitted at the neck and shoulders to connect one animal to another. This was done to ease the work of a heavy load. Once the two animals were yoked together, the stronger of the two animals was able to help the weaker animal with a heavy load.
Once a person accepts Jesus’s invitation to become yoked with Him, and follow the example He sets by submitting to Him, rest is obtained.
A person that is yoked with Jesus also will experience His gentleness and meekness, without the feeling of being forced into doing something. Jesus also provides comfort to the person yoked to Him stating that “His yoke is easy, and His burden is light” eliminating any cause for fear.
Luke 21:34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly.”
Distractions will still come even after a person has become yoked to Jesus, and if a person isn’t careful, they can easily be pulled in a different direction.
Galatians 5:1 “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.”
Once it is given to Jesus, don’t make the mistake, and try to take it back. Once a person becomes yoked with Jesus and has made the decision to submit to His leading in all things, it will be easier to obey what the scripture says in;
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Vs 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. [NIV]
There are benefits of being yoked together with Jesus, He helps us from being pulled into activities that lead to living in sin.
2nd Corinthians 6:14 “ Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” New International Version
Scripture gives a warning about being yoked with the wrong persons, and what the outcome will be.
There are some yokes that should be avoided all together, but there is comfort and benefits of being yoked together with Jesus. There is a peace of not having to wonder which way to go or what should be done…because once we are yoked with Him, it all has been given to Jesus.
Lord Jesus, thank for your yoke that gives rest….Amen
Continuing in His service…Rev