Yoked Together

"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."  Matt. 11:29-30

Jesus told his disciples that in order to follow him, they must deny themselves and pick up their cross daily.  Now, at that moment, the disciples could not have even imagined the way their teacher would die.  But they did know about the Roman practice of crucifixion and the horrible death it delivered.

So when Jesus said they must pick up their cross daily, it was clear that following Jesus meant death and suffering.  Today we know that not only do we share in the death and suffering of Christ, but we also share in his resurrection as well.  But the disciples didn't understand the resurrection until after it happened. 

What a comfort it must have been for the disciples to hear about the yoke of Christ!  You see, a yoke harnesses the power of its wearer.  To take on the yoke of Christ is to live in his power.  We are only able to bear the burden of our own cross when we take on his yoke and live in his power. 

It is the yoke of Christ that gives us the strength to become gentle and humble in heart.  Our own efforts to live like that never work. We can only be Christ-like when we take on his yoke and live in his power.  And that's where we will find rest.

Copyright 2007, Calvin R. Wulf and Lisa Are Wulf

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"We can only be Christ-like when we take on his yoke and live in his power."