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.
Matthew 11:28-31
Jesus carries our burdens. He tells us in Matthew that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. A yoke is a wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of a pair of oxen. Jesus wants us to be yoked with Him. Recently I was carrying some heavy burdens. This passage reminded me that Jesus is willing to carry my burdens, but it is up to me to let go and allow Him to carry them. Jesus is a willing partner and waits on us to come to Him.
Jesus had just praised His Father because He had hidden things from the wise and revealed them to children. What had He hidden? Why did He hide things from the wise and reveal them to children? Following His prayer, He relates that the Son is only known to those whom God reveals Him.
Jesus turns to encourage all who are weary to come to Him. Leading up to our Scripture reading for today, Jesus seems to be saying that a childlike faith is what it takes to know God, the Son. Think about children for a moment.
They are dependent on their parents or those in authority to lead them.
They learn from them and life is revealed to them through household and parental guidance. If children are in a secure home, they have no concern about having their needs met. They relax in a safe environment, resting in the security of trust. Jesus suggests that if we are weary and need rest, then we need to give our burdens to Him. Just as a child trusts his parents, we must lay our burdens on Him. We learn from Him and He reveals Himself to us. As the revelation of Jesus awakens our hearts, we will find rest for our weary souls. Our souls are never at rest apart from knowing God.
We are sometimes like fugitives running from our own fears, lack of trust, or other obstacles in our lives. Just as the roads were marked and in good repair to the cities of refuge in the Old Testament, so the Lord has made a way for us that is free and clear. He longs for us to run to Him. The roads clearly mark the way: Come to me all you who are weary and burdened…
Come with a childlike faith and an expectation that you will find rest.
Heavenly Father,
I have been carrying heavy burdens. I release them to You and I take Your yoke upon me that is easy and light. Where I have not trusted You, forgive me; where I have doubted You, bring truth; where I have lost my way, I come.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
