I have to admit … there’s a word in the Bible that I’ve often struggled with. It’s the word “yoke”. When Jesus says to “take His yoke upon us” in Matthew 11, I struggled with the feeling of being bound, confined, imprisoned. I’ve dismissed my feelings, choosing to trust in the fact that I know God to be good. Yet, I still wanted to understand what God’s intentions were.
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.
Matthew 11:28-30
As I was studying the book of Jeremiah, I had an “aha” moment as I read the same word – “yoke.” Jeremiah was describing the state of the Israelite nation and how they had turned their backs on God. In essence, they thumbed their nose to every good thing He did for them. They rejected Him. In Jeremiah 5:5 it says,
“So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.” But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.
Jeremiah 5:5
When I read this passage, my mind immediately went to the Scripture in Matthew 11:28-30 that I have struggled with. It had the same word, “yoked.” As I continued to read further in Jeremiah, it descriptively described what would happen to those who chose to break off the yoke they had with God.
- A lion from the forest will strike them down.
- A wolf from the desert will ravage them.
- A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces.
I compared that with what the results would be for those who stayed yoked with the Lord. Matthew tells us:
- God will give us rest.
- We will receive God’s gentleness and humble heart.
- God will lighten our burdens.
My thinking of being yoked changed. All we’ve seen in this world is that being yoked is limiting, stifling, controlling, painful and more because being yoked with the world brings those outcomes. Yet, being yoked with God brings a vastly different result. It brings freedom, peace, safety and more.
Being yoked, as in with oxen plowing a field, keeps two things moving in the same direction. If we are yoked with the Lord, we will walk side by side with Him. He keeps us going in the right direction. He keeps the destruction from the enemy away.
Another interesting thing to note, is that it is our choice. It’s not forced upon us. That’s how gentle God is. He wants the relationship to be chosen, wanted, desired. The Israelites chose to break yoke with God. In Matthew, we are exhorted to “take” God’s yoke upon us. It’s choice we make. And, the results come from our decision.
Breaking the yoke with God – disaster and destruction.
Taking on God’s yoke and walking with Him – rest, gentleness and release of our burdens.
The choice is ours, but the results are out of our control. God’s exhortation to join Him in the yoke is one of greatest gifts He could ever offer us.
May we continue to live…
Rooted in Him,
