“Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your
souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. Matt 11:29-30 (KJV)
Take my
yoke? I thought He just invited us in the previous verse (v.28) to come and
receive His Rest. So, why this yoke again? Is the yoke of stress, pains, disappointments,
poverty, lack, sickness and toiling we brought to Him not sufficient enough
that we need extra or additional yoke to carry?
Honestly
speaking, the word ‘yoke’ could turn anybody off. But a proper understanding
will help us to appreciate what Jesus is offering us here. A yoke is any device
used in coupling two things together. It could be in form of a wooden or iron
rod. Like the rod inserted into the necks of two oxen to plow the fields. And
even chains used during the era of slave trading to couple several slaves
together. In essence, Jesus wants us to get ourselves coupled/attached to Him.
In other words, we identify with Him. We become His and He becomes ours.
Any where we
go to the yoke of Jesus we wear, identifies us with Him and separate and put us
apart. As we wear on daily basis, this yoke on our neck; even though it is
invisible to the natural world it is known and recognize by the invisible world
that controls and influences almost everything happening in our visible world.
Been yoked
with Christ is therefore, another way of receiving His protection. How can you
be yoked with Him and still been oppressed by the devil. Don’t throw away the
yoke of Christ or else you are throwing away your peace, your rest, your
security and your prosperity. The yoke will maintain for you your rest. Hence,
Apostle Paul said: “From henceforth let no man trouble (stress/yoke) me: for I
bear in my body the marks (yoke) of the Lord Jesus. Gal 6:17 (KJV)
The yoke of Jesus
is that which will ensure and maintain the Rest which He gave to as many that
responded to His call, as discussed in our last write up. It is not enough to
heed the call you must put on His yoke. The real evidence that you will stay or
remain or abide in Him is His yoke that you willingly take and put on i.e. wear
everyday of life after heeding His call. This will ensure you enjoy His kind of
Rest all the days of your life.
Yoke is not
always used in the negatives as we will see later on. But here it connotes
submission to authority. Putting on His yoke is invariably saying, I’m willing
to submit to your kind of authority and leadership. The statement: “…for I am meek and
lowly in heart…” is a brief summary of Jesus personality and of
cause the kind of leadership we should expect from Him. And He further
described His yoke as- “For my yoke is easy…” from the Greek
translation of the word easy, it implies something fit for use, good,
befitting, pleasant, not hard, not harsh or bitter. Jesus yoke therefore will
be fit you’re calling and destiny in life. It’s not the kind of yoke evil men
of this world will forcefully put on you in order to oppress your life and
destiny.
Beloved, Jesus knows and
understands that our necks- a place of strength and pride cannot
be completely free of some sort of yoke. Then asked us to take up and wear His
own kind of yoke that will guaranty and sustain the supernatural Rest He
promised. Please, note therefore, that your neck cannot be absolutely free of
yoke. It’s either your are wearing on your neck Jesus yoke or the yoke(s) from evil
men that have come to stress your life through their oppressive activities.
You must
carry this yoke-
·
Submission to Christ’s
authority;
·
Living in
absolute obedience to His will and plans for your life;
·
Continuous
fellowship & communion with Him;
·
Being a faithful
& consistent witness for Him;
·
Life of faith and
genuine love for God & man are part of the yoke to mention few.
You
must consciously wear this yoke. Only the fool and ignorant will laugh at your
wearing the yoke of Christ. This yoke will truly identify you as a child of God
and a follower of Christ Jesus. The yoke is not killing; it’s not bitter or
harsh. It is befitting and it makes you look like God. It makes you attractive,
acceptable, shining and enviable.
You cannot
face the demons and wicked ones of this world without wearing the yoke of
Christ. In business and in your trade you must put on the yoke to guarantee
your success and prosperity. The yoke is a must wear for every minister of God in
order to succeed in ministry. You cannot be yoked with Christ and remain poor,
you cannot be yoked with Christ and remain small. You cannot be yoked with
Christ and be afflicted. It is impossible to be yoked with Christ and remain in
bondage of Satan! Because Christ’s yoke has come to destroy and replace the
yoke of Satan. Therefore, no man will
trouble (stress/yoke) you: because you now bear in your body the marks (yoke)
of the Lord Jesus.
Beloved, God’s kind of rest comes as we honor
Christ invitation; the given rest is sustained and secured as we accept willingly
His yoke. The earlier we understand and do this the better we enjoy our
Christian journey i.e the race set before us. Because “It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his
youth” Lam 3:27 (NKJV). The yoke that you carry therefore, determines
whom you are subject to. Every yoke that has brought you stress and pain so far
will go for you in Jesus name. Amen.
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