The Yoke

Whether you’re a farm person or not, we’ve probably all heard the verse in Matthew 11:28-30, “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.” “Take my yoke upon you” has many implications, like learning from Jesus by bringing our passions and desires under control against the immoral and ungodly things of the world.

The yoke that draws us towards godly living can seem oppressive to the spiritually immature, but Jesus says the yoke is easy. The yoke is easy because it brings none of the guilt and suffering that comes with worldly, immoral actions. The yoke also forces us to recognize how often we want to fight against God’s ways. The phrase “stubborn hearts” is often used to describe people who fight against his will, kind of like the folks Jesus addressed in Mark 3. Jesus had called attention to the withered hand of a man in the synagogue, but the people were ready to condemn Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Most of us tend have flare-ups with a stubborn heart that wants to resist the power of God, perhaps because of our traditions (in their case) or our interpretations of Scripture, or maybe just the fact that living for Christ can be a little uncomfortable. After all, when we think of what a yoke is used for it reminds us of a naughty word… work. But, it is more of an instrument of discipline rather than work. Therefore, the yoke that Jesus gives us becomes a powerful guide for our thoughts and actions. And by wearing it, we submit to his reconditioning of our nature to be like his. Hebrews 12:11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Likewise, in time we should be open to see God at work in our lives and in others as well.

The yoke allows us to see things through the eyes of Jesus. That vision makes us concerned for a lost, sinful world, but it also puts a burden on us to care for the needs of other human beings. The yoke of Jesus is all about heart and mind. It helps shape us in the image of Jesus so that we become meek and gentle in all our dealings. It helps us bring every thought and every action under the control of Jesus. It helps us love spiritual things more than we love the world. When we first put on the yoke, it is strangely uncomfortable and disturbing. But as time passes it begins to feel natural until it eventually seems to be a part of us that we could not function without.

The yoke of Jesus is never forced on us; we have to make the decision to put it on. That decision is the first step to surrendering our will, our control to God’s higher power. Way too often, we choose not to accept the yoke Jesus offers because we’re already yoked up to the world. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and the Devil? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” Consider His yoke as the guiding and supporting arms of a loving father leading you to the place that’s best for you.