Try an experiment with me. Imagine you are burdened by life and seated alone on a park bench. Someone who you recognize to be Jesus walks up to you and says this.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, 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).
Jesus’s first words to you are, “Come to me.” You think, how can I come to Jesus?
In Jesus’s day, to come to him would have meant to follow along and listen to his teaching and observe his actions.
Many of my spiritual heroes come to Jesus every day by reading at least a chapter of one of the Gospels.
I have followed this practice for many years by reading a chapter and breaking it down into sections. I read a little bit and then talk to the Lord about what I’ve read, followed by another section to the end of the chapter.
If this isn’t your practice, you may try it and see how it deepens your relationship with Jesus.
Jesus’ Yoke
Now imagine that Jesus sits down on the park bench beside you, and says, “Now that you’ve come to me, take my yoke upon you.” What does that mean?
The people who first heard Jesus’ invitation to take His yoke upon them knew about the yoke of the law.
Religious leaders burdened them with seemingly impossible requirements, and according to Jesus, they didn’t do much to help them accomplish what was needed to be done.
“They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:4).
When I think of the yoke that Jesus invites us to experience, it is similar to that of a Clydesdale horse and a Shetland pony. The Shetland pony has a pretty easy job when working beside this massive drawhorse.
When Jesus invites us to take his yoke upon us, we can be confident that he’ll supply the power to do what he calls us to do. When we surrender to his leadership, he grants us the ability to accomplish his plans for our lives.
Jesus’ Promise
Once again, imagine that you are seated with Jesus on a park bench. He has invited you to come to him and to follow his guidance for life.
“Rest” is the payoff for being one of Jesus’ followers.
The followers of Jesus were anything but lazy. They walked throughout Galilee, camped in open spaces, and faced opposition from the authorities.
The “rest” they experienced could only be explained that they were in the daily presence of the Savior of the world. As they learned from his attitudes and actions, their lives were radically transformed.
The same is true for us. The rest that Jesus offers is not some form of laziness where we sit before the TV set with a remote in our hands.
Rather, the rest that He gives us is inner peace, rest for our souls. The turbulence of living outside of God’s will is replaced by a firm conviction that we’re following Jesus’ direction for our lives.
Henry Blackby’s study, “Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God,” has been very influential in my life. The title of that study is so appropriate here.
When we experience God by knowing and doing his will, we experience rest for our souls that only God can give us.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 