“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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 is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
One can’t help but hear echoes of Deuteronomy 5:12 in these verses: “Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.” In this we see that not only does Jesus ask us to rest in him, but God actually demands it of us! Notice that our heavy burdens don’t necessarily go away; we know life can be tough. Rather, it’s how we deal with those things that weigh us down that make all the difference.
Perhaps you wonder about the yoke. In agriculture, it it the horizontal harness between two oxen to let them work side by side so that in working together more might be accomplished. The yoke we wear brings Jesus and us together as we do God’s work in the world. When it comes to the “heavy lifting,” Christ is the one who opens hearts to receive the word. We just offer ourselves to be the conduits God works through to bring light into the world.
And if you feel guilty about taking a little time to rest in the Lord, don’t! Others are under the same command, and your demonstrating that it is a good thing will only help your neighbor. God gives us this command because God knows we need it as part of our daily living the abundant life God gives us.
So rest well, my friend, so that you might be well-prepared to share the promise of Jesus’ gospel. And don’t worry, God does the heavy lifting of opening minds and hearts. We just get to be the messengers with a story of love, mercy, and grace! What an amazing task we get to perform here on earth, well-rested and abundantly fed in God’s tender care. Never forget who wears the yoke with you!
- Pastor Doug Holtz, Ascension Lutheran Church - Green Bay
