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Yoke?


          “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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)

           There are two sides to today’s passage. The first is the “How do you spell relief? J.E.S.U.S.” side. Ah, rest! That’s the side we all know and love. The second side I the one we tend to gloss over. Take His yoke? Bear His burden? There’s still a yoke? Surely, that’s a joke. How can I rest if there’s a yoke or burden? Well, maybe if I spend five minutes every morning praying, that won’t be too bad.
         The problem is, that’s not taking a yoke. Taking a yoke means going where we’re told. It means obedience to the restraints placed on us. It chafes. It’s not comfortable. And that person who’s pulling the reins! Ugh. 
          Sometimes, we hear about people being burdened for the poor or burdened for some cause. I don’t think that’s the sort of burden He was talking about here. He is the yoke. He is the burden. We’re to take Him, wear Him. How many of us are uncomfortable saying “I can’t, because Christ”? Or “I must, because Christ”? I’m not suggesting we should be prideful in our legalism. I’m asking if we are willing to say “No” because He tells us to, or “Yes” because He calls us to?

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