pramsay posted on November 27, 2008 17:25 2363 views

An Easy Yoke

Maybe the word ‘yoke’ is not an active word in your vocabulary. A seamstress refers to the yoke of a shirt. Pilots refer to the yoke as the control wheel. Computer game geeks who are into joysticks and controls probably talk about their yoke for their flight simulator game. Farmers nostalgically recall the yokes they used on their animals. 

The yoke of a shirt is the fabric that spans two shoulders. The yoke for a flight simulator pilot is the control wheel that brings both hands together to perform one task – flying. The barnyard yoke is one that brings two animals together to perform work for the farmer. Backpackers are familiar with shoulder yokes that help to distribute the weight being carried on the back.

Have you ever thought about Christ’s yoke? After speaking to those who were yoked to religion and rituals and feeling the horrible burden and bondage of it all, He turned to the people and said:

Come to me, all ye who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matthew 11:28-30 JN Darby)

Have you ever pictured yourself yoked with Christ to perform the will of God? Compared to the religious yokes people put themselves in, Jesus said His yoke was easy or in other words good, effective and serviceable in serving God.  Jeremy Taylor explained it this way: “Christ’s yoke is like feathers to a bird; not loads, but helps to motion.”

So many people are carrying heavy weights – the weight of sin or the wieght of an empty profession or the weight of rituals and religious observances in the hope of meriting God’s favor. There is no rest in these pursuits – nothing but empty and broken promises.

Christ already bore our sin’s heavy burden. Now He invites us to enter into a yoke with Himself – and because He is infinitely greater and more powerful than we are, our yoke or union with Christ will be relatively light for us. If we are willing to submit to His yoke, we will go where He takes us and we will do what He wants us to do.

The Bible strongly warns against unequal yokes for a believer – either in marriage or in business or in some other way. God is opposed to a believer entering into a ‘yoke’ or a ‘partnership’ with a non-christian. It is a sin. (2Corinthians 6:14)

When we experience discomfort or chafing it is because we are yoked but failing to fully submit – causing an irritation and irregularity in the path of service. But when we fully submit there is a beautiful synchronicity in our movements and a liberty to please God that no unbeliever could ever experience.

The times of greatest joy in our lives are when we are enjoying the yoke of Christ and being yoked with Christ and fully submitting to His will, letting Him take the lead.

How’s the yoke today? Easy, good, effective and serviceable in serving God?

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ

Peter Ramsay

peter@heaven4sure.com

Posted in: Bible Bites

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# b.sha
Sunday, December 28, 2008 10:20 AM

The Christian walk should not be a lonely walk . If such were the case the Scriptures would have refered to a collar to pull our load. However, as indicated above a yoke requires two. When yoked to the Lord Jesus not only is the burden light but he is a very pleasant companion.

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