God Speaking

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

(Matthew 11: 30)

Several years ago, when I was visiting relatives in Australia, my sister took me to a heritage farm that was still functioning and using the old equipment used by the first settlers and the farm is now funded by the Government and turned into a tourist destination. I was fascinated to see two cows yoked together pulling a wooden plough. When they stopped, visitors were able to ask questions to the farm worker. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the cows and asked him was it hard to put them together with the yoke. I was surprised by his answer. “Not at all”, he replied. “In fact, we always put the same cows together and they form a bond with each other, and the yoke is not heavy, and you can see when two are together they can pull the load so much more easily”.

I had always struggled to totally understand Jesus’ words when he talked about being yoked with him, but that day I suddenly understood what he meant. His listeners would have been able to understand the concept and now I had seen it in action I too began to grasp what Jesus was saying. 

Just as one cow, or ox as they would have been using in those days, could not take a different path from the other, we too when we stay close to him, his word binds us together and we stay on the safe path of life.

The other thing I learnt that day, was that when Jesus said his burden was light, the farm hand explained to us, what that meant, that they never overloaded the cows as they would harm themselves by trying to pull anything too heavy Jesus will never overload his loved ones just walk closely beside us sharing what ever is happening.

The other beautiful verse urges us not to struggle on our own, so we grow weary, but to accept our Saviour’s offer

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 27)

Sometimes we feel we can handle whatever is going on in our lives and feel we are being weak if we seek help. Not realising that the Lord’s offer is always there

I love a line in one of the songs we sing in our church which states;

The weak made strong in the Saviour’s love 

It is okay to admit we are weak, especially when we remember our Saviour’s loving invitation to come and be yoked with him so no matter how rough the road is or how heavily burdened we feel, we can relax and feel the warmth of his presence as he shares whatever we are going through and enables us to keep safe with him.