An Easy Yoke – July 12, 2023

[Jesus said] “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 11:29,30

An Easy Yoke

In today’s Bible verse, Jesus tells you that finding rest for your soul involves taking his yoke upon yourself. If you think that sounds counterintuitive, he reassures you that his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

And that, of course, makes no sense. If something is easy, it cannot be a yoke—a collar for doing hard labor. And if something is light, by definition, it is not a burden.

But this is what Jesus does: he turns things on their heads. With Christ, yokes become easy, burdens become light, death becomes life, despair becomes hope, and fear becomes faith.

So how is this not nonsense? Because Jesus does not say, “Take my yoke upon you and pull with me.” Instead, he says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.”

Come to Jesus in his Word, and listen to what he tells you. He teaches you that faith is what yokes you to him. In your walk of faith, you are not alone because Jesus walks with you. This makes the burden light because Jesus bears the weight, not you. Just walk along with him; Jesus does the heavy lifting so that you will find rest for your souls.

Those who are yoked to Christ can pray—anywhere, anytime, about anything. Why wouldn’t you? He knows you better than anyone else. No worry is too small for him to snuff out or too large for him to solve. So you can rest when you prayerfully pour it all on him.

Because that is Jesus’ invitation. He knows what’s good for your soul, and in Christ alone, there is rest that cannot be found anywhere else. What’s easier than that?

Prayer:
Gentle Savior, thank you for hearing and answering my prayers. Amen.