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
Rest! Ah, sweet Rest! Isn't that what our souls crave in these crazy times? I don't mean just lying down and taking a quick nap, but I mean true rest as in relief, ease, refreshment, blessed peace and quiet. Jesus spent 33 years on earth and he suffered an incredible amount of stress and pressure, not only from humans but from satan himself. He understood probably more than any other person how difficult life could be and how much we all need complete rest for our souls. Here in this passage as He was speaking to the multitudes, He knew their struggles, their heartaches, their pains and labor, and He told them to come to Him for that rest they so despeartly needed.
Today in this world as we face the horrors of the last days, we need that rest more than anything. Yet did you ever wonder why the Lord described that rest as a Yoke? What exactly is a Yoke?
From Wikipedia: A yoke is a wooden beam sometimes used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals and usually enclose the head of the animal.
The Yoke would keep both animals going in a straight line and working together to pull something heavy behind them, usually a farming implement like a plough or a wagon or anything heavy. Honestly, that doesn't sound very restful to me!! Who wants a large wooden beam on their shoulders and their head trapped through an opening?
But notice Jesus said it was His Yoke. This is not just any Yoke. The truth is, Jesus is in the Yoke with us. He is paired up with us and will be pulling the weight right beside of us. He never expects us to do any heavy lifting that He isn't willing to do. In fact, I would wager to say that Jesus is bearing the brunt of the weight on Himself, while giving us the easier job. In fact, in the Scripture above, He says His yoke is easy which could be translated not harsh, hard, sharp or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant. So, whatever you're dealing with in the natural, outside of being yoked with Jesus, it will be much harder to deal with without Him than with Him. That's what He is saying:
Come to me, let me take the brunt of the weight of your problems and struggles, let me walk beside you and help make the burden you carry light and pleasant instead of stressful and hard. Let me show you which way to go to find the answers you need.
But it's still a yoke, you might say. Yes, and that's my final point. When you step into the Yoke with Jesus (submit to Him, trust in Him, and follow Him), notice that wherever He goes, you have to go. If Jesus turns left, you have to go left. If He turns right, you have to turn right. The Yoke binds you together in such a way that you must follow Him with every step. Jesus is saying, if you get into this Yoke with me, I will not only relieve you of most of your burden, but I will lead you down the right path that leads to everlasting life!
The trouble with most "Christians" is that they have never stepped into the Yoke with Jesus. They believe in Him but they don't want to be yoked with Him. They want to run their own lives and do their own things. They want their freedom. They still want Him to take their burdens, however, and help them with everything in their lives, but they don't want to follow Him. They don't want to make Him their Lord. And you know what? They never really find peace and rest in their lives either. And I would also add that their eternity is also in jeopardy as well.
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name?
And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].
Matthew 7:21-23
And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].
Matthew 7:21-23
And Jesus called the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
Mark 8:34
Mark 8:34
I encourage you to take your burdens, pains, heartaches, and fears to the Lord today, hand them over to Him and get into the Yoke with Him. He will give you a peace that passes understanding and lead you in the way everlasting! Take it from someone who knows by experience... His yoke really is easy and His burden light!
Amen!
ReplyDeleteThis has always been one of my favorite verses. I have been living it for the past 25 years and I also testify that it’s true! You’ve explained it so beautifully, Marylu!
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post and so timely. God has literally been telling me the same thing. Wait on Him. Don't run ahead. His plans are perfect with no anxiety. We are partners in His mission. I will add one more point to your post and that is when choosing a spouse, being equally yoked is so important. A lifetime with someone who holds you down and back, or someone who is spiritually dead is debilitating. Jesus is searching for his bride. He wants someone who is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. Equally yoked. He will reject anyone who thought they could be his bride in name only. That's not a godly marriage. A good earthly marriage of being perfect partners is to get us ready for our perfect marriage to our Savior. It's going to be amazing.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
DeleteI agree, Katy, Being equally yoked in marriage is so important and something I also suffer from. You explained it perfectly... the person holds you down and back, the person who is supposed to be your spiritual head is, instead, spiritually dead. It can really inhibit you in your walk. I speak from experience.
DeleteI agree. Exactly the same
DeleteAnd we are also warned "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers..." and I believe that also means being yoked to the world.
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteAbsolutely! Good point.
DeleteAhh MaryLu, what a refreshing word. I know the Lord has been speaking this to me recently. My marriage can be stressful at times. I sometimes feel the weight of the world is pressing in around me ! I felt a relief of Christ's peace while reading your message. Thanks, needed that :)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, those yokes were often hand fitted to give maximum comfort to the oxen. Also the oxen themselves were paired together not only of equal size and strength, but also in temperament and stride.
I have done some studies on Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God ! One of my favorite verses. And God spoke this over me one time, never forgot that, though sometimes forget to do it !
Sometimes we get soooo caught up in life, a thousand voices crowding our minds adding up all the troubles and worries, Oh Lord help me ! And then He does. He shuts off the breaker in the electrical panel, cut's all power from any and all outside source and washes you in His peace.
After studying this verse through different versions, concordance, commentaries etc, I was still not sure I had a handle on it. Then I spoke to a Jewish friend about it. And they said that the way the wording is structure give the "be still" and connotation of "as unto death" ! So if you lay down, and just focus on your breathing, and slow it down, it helps shut out every other thought ! ( and no I am not into any weird meditation :) ). But when you are shut up like this you can really hear what the Lord is speaking. And He will tell you exactly what it say's in this message, He is with you and that makes our burdens light !
I know the burdens you bear at times MaryLu with the task God has given you, so I often pray peace and rest over you, in Jesus name !
Thank you MaryLu.
Thank you, Joe. I needed to hear what you said about "being still". That's one of my problems... slowing down with all I have to do and just listening to the Lord. Slow as unto death! I need to practice that more often because I so desperately want to hear clearly from the Lord! Thank you for your prayers! It humbles me that anyone would pray for me. Blessings!
DeleteI have that particular passage of "Be Still and know that I am God" on several plaques and pictures over my house in many rooms. It reminds me daily to actually listen for God's word and guidance. It is one of my favorite sayings. So, thank you, MaryLu.
ReplyDeleteNow I have a question, if you do not mind. About a week ago I joined a group on FB who, when asking to join, had the rule of must be a pre-trib believer and was supposed to be a social network for the like-minded to gather. I thought I could use a little company of believers like myself to speak with and socialize with, and was grateful for the opportunity. Well, I lasted with that group for about a week, as some began posting videos of pastors speaking of the Rapture like they knew exactly when it was going to happen; people stating they had dreams and/or visions of Jesus speaking to them about when He was returning for His bride, and encouraging others to believe what they had seen and heard as gospel truth. Well, if Jesus states that no one knows the time or the hour of when He will return, not even the angels in heaven, but only His father, why would He speak to believers and tell them when he was coming? He does not want Satan to know, so why would He announce His plans? Maybe these people do have dreams or visions, I cannot say for sure that they do not, but am I to put my hopes and beliefs in that?? I also have been hearing, from several sources, that the number 11:11 has been occurring lately, and that it has been determined to be the date of WW3 to begin. It was said that this was verified from 3 different sources, so that it was then verified as being true, and from God. How can anyone state that? How can anyone say that because 3 people have had the number verified to them, that it is actually true and from God? Because this brought up many doubts in me, I have since left the group. am I being too skeptical in my thinking and feeling as of late?? Or am I just doubting everything as I do not know if it is coming from Jesus, or Satan himself? Is this all a part of the great deception?? I am just truly troubled by some of this. I do not want to be deceived and I do not want to be brought under deception of any kind. I am looking for your opinions only. Thank you.
What you described is pretty much what you will find on most Pre-trib groups and sites. Unfortunately many Christians focus way too much on the "date" of the rapture and not enough on if they are rapture ready! I do believe that many Godly people are receiving dreams and visions in these last days, but we have to be extremely careful and ask daily for discernment from the Lord to weed out the false from the true ones. It's not easy! Jesus did say we would not know the day or hour, but Paul added to that in Thessalonians that we WOULD know the season. In other words, we will know when we are close. And we are close now! Never put your hopes and beliefs on anyone's dream or vision or even a "word" they say they receive from the Lord. Not unless you know that person and know they are truly Godly and the Lord gives you the thumbs up. Believe me, I've been at this for a long long time. I used to allow myself to get all excited at the dreams and visions, but I've grown up and now I listen to only a few who I trust. And I try to focus more on witnessing to others, waking up the lukewarm, and making sure I'm rapture ready! The date doesn't matter. Just the Lord. So, if that site disturbs you, don't bother with them. If you go back in, just ask the Lord for discernment and take everything they say with a grain of salt. Be wise as serpents and gentle as doves!
DeleteThank you, MaryLu. I appreciate your comments and your opinion. I understand that some may have visions or dreams, and I can probably say that they believe it is true, for them. I am trying to have discernment about some of these things. I understand that we would know the season, and I am quite aware of how close we are, but there are discrepancies about that, as well. TW Tramm says he believes it is the spring, and there are others who believe it is the fall. It is so hard to keep track of even the season. I believe it will be this year and I am excited for that, but there are so many who believe what they believe, and are encouraging others to believe that, as well, but I am quite aware of the great deception, as well. I am just not as willing as some others to put my hopes in anything other than what the Lord has said. For instance, I respect TW Tramm, but he seems to want to validate every date as what is true. He has been doing this for years...such that 2022 was the date, and now 2023 is the date. I read his research and can see where he gets his thoughts from, but that does not mean it is true.
Deletealso, recently I re-read Revelations and I was confused about one part, where the dragon was waiting for the Virgin to give birth, so I decided to return to JD Farag's website of past Bible sermons and found the scripture I wanted to read and was confused about. He described it so perfectly that I now understand it and am no longer confused about its meaning. I appreciate him, (JD Farag), and continue to follow his readings. He seems to be more for the truth than for anything else, which is what I need. I now want to visit Petra, but doubt that will happen in my lifetime, but I will do more research on it.
Thank you again for your comments and insight. It helps me a lot and I appreciate everything you do for us. Blessings to you and your family!! Love you.