Yoked with Christ

Matthew 11:28-30

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.

This scripture differs wildly from a description of the Christian life that I heard from a young man in my dorm in college. He related the story of Abraham sending his servant to a foreign land to fetch a wife for his son Isaac. They found Rebekah, the daughter of Laban, and convinced the two of them that she should return with him to marry Isaac.

In his telling, they took off across the desert on camels, and soon Rebekah was complaining that it was hot, she was thirsty, she was tired, and she couldn’t go on. Whenever she complained, the servant would throw a bauble or jewel back to her to quiet her until they could complete their arduous journey. According to this young man, the Christian life was like a slog through the desert, where we need to be quieted from our complaining with an occasional blessing until we finally complete our journey.

Wow! How different is this from Christ’s promise in our scripture today? I Googled this scripture (isn’t that where we find great theology?) and found the following: When Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you," He is offering to be yoked alongside you. You are not pulling the heavy load by yourself; instead, the heaviest parts of your load are resting on His shoulders.

Also, the meaning behind the words:

Easy: The original Greek word here (chrestos) can also be translated as "well-fitting," "gracious," or "kind". Just as a carpenter would custom-fit a wooden yoke so it wouldn't chafe the ox, Jesus shapes His way to fit the needs of your soul.

Light: The Greek word (elaphron) means "not burdensome". Living in alignment with His teachings—which prioritize love, grace, and rest—is inherently lighter than striving for perfection, self-sufficiency, or the approval of others.

So what is it like to serve while being yoked with Christ?

Ask Sara Gregory if it is burdensome to pound nails for Habitat. Hint: she ends every Facebook post about her work with “Blessings abound!”

Ask Bernice Howard how unpleasant it is to serve at Welcome Table, and she will tell you we are the hands and feet of Jesus.

Do you wonder if it’s a dreary slog to pack thousands of meals to ship overseas or fill flood buckets? Listen to the laughter and joy-filled conversation of those performing those tasks.

Serving for and with Christ in these and other ways is far from the drudgery of the journey that the young man described. It is a joyful, light, and easy yoke to carry, especially when Jesus is our companion in service.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you that as we serve you by serving others, we are yoked with Jesus. We thank you that his yoke is easy, his burden is light, and our work for him and with him is ever so joyful. Blessings abound! Amen

This devotional was written and read by Charlie Barton.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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