“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest ([relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29 (AMP)

The writer of Hebrews describes me perfectly in 5:11, "but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn." I describe myself to many as SLD, Spiritually Learning Disabled. When God is trying to teach me something and sees that I am just not getting it, He - through His grace and mercy - allows me to live it. Can anyone else relate?

Recently I was asked to speak at church and the theme of the day was taking on the yoke of the Lord. In preparation, God taught me the lesson and is still teaching me the lesson of trusting Him enough to lay down all the things that are going on in my life. I must allow His perfectly fitting yoke to lead me to a place of blessed rest in the assurance that He is in control.

Let's examine today's key scripture and see what the Lord's yoke is like. The Lord's yoke is:

· Easy

· Light

· A place to learn

· A place to find rest, relief, ease, refreshment, recreation and blessed quiet

· Useful, good (not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing), comfortable, gracious, and pleasant

That sounds like a yoke that I would like to wear. How about you? Contrary to modern fashion designers who claim "one size fits all" on the label of their garment, God's yoke is truly "one size fits all." Eugene Peterson translates our key verse this way:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" (MSG).

Try it on His yoke. Keep it on. Don't go shopping for another garment to wear such as pride, control, or self-sufficiency. This garment never wears out and doesn't need to be laundered. The God of the universe is inviting you wear His yoke and to keep company with Him. Come on! Try it on for size!

Dear Lord, I want to surrender control of all things to You right now. Lovingly and gently place Your yoke upon me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

***

Related Resources:

Do you know Him?

i am not but i know I AM by Louie Giglio

Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear by Max Lucado

Move Me Aside by Linsdey Kane

Application Steps:

Write down the three things that are troubling you most. Read them aloud. Pray today's prayer aloud, replacing the words “all things” with your three things. As you dress each day, symbolically put on the yoke of the Lord and read today's key verse.

Reflections:

Describe the yoke you are currently wearing.

What hinders you from wearing the Lord's light yoke?

Power Verses:

Psalm 25:9, "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." (NIV)

Matthew 11:28-30, "’Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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.’" (NASB)

Colossian 1:29, "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (NIV)