The Yoke of Rest

 

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 ESV).

 

Our reading today is one of the most well known invitations of Jesus. It is a call to a life of rest. Often in the psalms we see the crying out of God’s people for rest from the burdens of life. One of those in which it is impossible to overlook all the lament is Psalm 119. The psalmist repeatedly groans under the burden of his persecutors. They surround him, press in on him, mock him, and smear his reputation with their lies. At the brink of despair, the psalmist cries out to God, “My eyes fail looking for your promise; I say, ‘When will you comfort me?’” Jesus definitively answers that prayer.

 

It may be that you have not lived enough years to truly understand this situation personally. I honestly cannot remember anything more than a temporary inconvenience in my early years of childhood and adolescence. However, it didn’t take very long to feel the intensity of life increase, sometimes exponentially. Health issues began to crowd my feelings of peace; the increasing responsibility of balancing career and family added to those issues. Grief at the death of cherished family members eroded my feelings of joy and happiness, often replacing them with a sense of loneliness and mortality. However, in each circumstance, as I understood the grace of God and His unfaltering commitment to ease the burdens of life, I found an easy yoke. Make no mistake. I was still called to pull a portion of the load; but, it became lighter and easier as I leaned into the strength Jesus provided.

 

Jesus’ promise is for all of God’s children, in both the Old Testament era and the New Testament age. Indeed, Jesus’ coming to our world to rescue sinners from eternal death is indisputable evidence that God hears our desperate cries for comfort. Though he might not answer our appeals as we expect or as soon as we want, God will answer our cries in his perfect timing. Jesus is flesh-and-blood proof of that. What is your only comfort in life and in death? It can only be Jesus!