I read these throughly familiar words today, and (I'm embarrassed to say) for the first time I really contemplated what it meant to take Jesus' yoke upon me. Boy, I've got the "weary and burdened" part down flat, as I'm sure many of us do! We are all so busy, so often overwhelmed with life's challenges, so exhausted and depleted. We already feel like we are living life with absolutely no margins, no extra space and then the unexpected hits: an illness, a wayward child, a strained relationship, and we simply feel like our rocking boat is about to capsize.
But Jesus calls us to "come," to "take," and to "learn." How thankful I am that He doesn't command us to "do!' He doesn't tell us to buck up, to do better, to try harder, to be better. He simply tells us to "come." As Matthew wrote these words, I wonder if he was reminded of Jesus' original call to him. Here was Matthew, a despised tax collector (considered by the Jews to be the worst of the worst), and when Jesus first sees him sitting in his tax booth, He tells Matthew "Follow Me." Again, not "Get your act together, Matthew, and then you can come join the rest of the disciples." Not, "Stop sinning," or "stop stealing money from your people," or "stop betraying your nation and become a man of integrity and then you can try to follow and obey Me." No, simply, "Follow Me."
Jesus knew that is all Matthew could do at that point. Jesus knew that it all begins with a relationship with Him. It all starts by following the Savior and then all the rest will follow. How often we get it all turned around--we think we have to figure it out or improve or shape up before we come to Jesus. But He tells us simply to "come" just as He told Matthew to "follow." You know, I may fail at obedience or prayer. I may forget to have an attitude of gratitude or of love and grace towards others. But, by golly, I can "come!"
When we are discouraged or disappointed or despairing, we can surely "come" to the Lord Jesus. And that is where it starts...and sometimes if that is all we can do, then that will be enough. He is more than able to fill in all our empty, desperate spaces.
But if we can take just tiny baby step more, He calls us to "take," and o, the blessings when we take His yoke upon us! Why do I want to try to drag along my ponderous burdens myself? Why wouldn't I want to exchange my weighty burdens for His yoke of blessing and rest?
As I pondered the meaning of His yoke, I thought of the yoke of an ox and the symbolism of submission. Warren Wiersbe writes that "To 'take a yoke' in that day meant to become a disciple." In other words, to take His yoke would be simply to surrender to Him, to follow Him in obedience. It's not a yoke of burden but a yoke of blessing and rest for as we daily surrender to Him, He gives us peace and joy and hope and forgiveness and all that we need to live this life. And His yoke is "easy" and "light." Does that describe the burdens I place upon myself or other people? I don't think so. My self-imposed burdens lead to condemnation and exhaustion and discouragement. His lead to rest and peace and joy.
But finally, He tells us to "learn" of Him. We first have to come to Him as our Savior. Then we have to choose to take His yoke by surrendering to Him and His plans and His ways. And then we daily learn of Him--a process in which we daily, yearly, come to know Him better and better through His Word. I learn how to cook by spending time reading recipes and cooking. I learn to play golf by listening to a teacher and then by practicing. I learn of Jesus by reading His instruction manuel, the Bible, and then by daily "practicing" obeying what He tells me. And in return, He gives me His peace, His rest, His joy, His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace, His love, His power. Wow! So simple. So profound. So burden-lifting to exchange my burdens for His yoke. To daily come, take, and learn.
Help me, help us, Lord Jesus, to take You at Your Word. When life is closing in and our burdens threaten to overwhelm us, help us to come and take and learn. When we feel discouraged or defeated, help us to come and take and learn. When life's circumstances are far beyond what we can handle or bear, help us to come and take and learn. And He will provide us rest--true, abundan- life, rest for our souls. To God be the glory!
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