Matthew 11:28-30 says “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light
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These are some of my favorite verses in the Bible. I’ve lived long enough to know that we each face some real difficulties in life and experience burdens that are sometimes unbearable. Hasn’t happened to you yet? It will! The older you get the more difficulties you’ll experience in life. Where will you go to lighten the very real load of trials, troubles, and turmoil that weigh you down? And what will lighten your load in the midst of your necessary work and labour? What burden are you bearing today that you are feeling the weight of or perhaps cannot handle anymore? Are you at the end of your rope?
This invitation from our Lord Jesus Christ is given to every single one of us. “Come unto me.” Those comforting words say it all. Come to me! I’m here. I love you. I care. I can help. Trust me. I don’t know about you but those words give me real hope. There is someone I can go to 24/7 who offers real relief from my struggles in life. He is always available to bear my burden and give me rest.
You know exactly what I’m speaking of here. Often we are so stressed, so time pressured, so worried about getting the job done, so irritable because we’re physically worn out, so unkind to the people we love, so unable to focus on what really matters in life, and so out of touch with Jesus Christ because we are too busy with the cares of life! I’ve been there and know what it’s like. I often kid around with people and say that’s probably why I have Multiple Sclerosis. I was once a healthy, energetic, and self-motivated workaholic. Strutting around like a proud peacock. And I viewed living the Christian life much the same way. Working, laboring, striving, planning, purposing, performing, and trying harder was my creed. It didn’t work for me and it will not work for you. It will leave you tired with a weight so heavy you’ll not be able to function anymore. Then you’ll get depressed. Then you’ll possibly give up. And most people will not want to be around you because you’ll be perceived as a whiner who is lazy. But you don’t care anymore. Where else can you go, dear friend? What else can you do? Jesus is the answer.
By the way, Jesus is not telling us this is a divine cure from the experiences of trials and difficulties. He is not suggesting we can make it to a mountaintop of spiritual triumph and live there permanently. Personally, I thank God for the valleys of suffering that have been in my life. It has grown my faith in Him. In addition, He is not telling us in these verses that there will be no yoke of responsibility. The yoke was place around the neck and shoulders of an ox so it could pull a plow or wagon loaded with cargo. There are things to do. But notice we are invited to take His yoke. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He desires to live in and through you and not only lighten the load but give you rest in the midst of necessary labor. He desires for us to have real peace and joy in the midst of necessary labour.
So what is His invitation? Simply this: COME TO ME, TAKE MY YOKE, AND LEARN OF ME. Purpose to go to Jesus in faith today and every day, find and take His yoke of responsibility that He has specifically designed for you, and study the scriptures to learn all you can about Him. Then simply abide in Him as a branch abides in the vine. Soak up the SON and bear fruit. For without HIM you can do nothing. Through Christ you can do all that He directs you to do.