A key part of my faith journey these days involves paying attention to apparent coincidences. As a Christian I believe God is acting in my life every day so these coincidences can be seen as evidence that he is speaking to me.
I had one such coincidence occur the other day when I heard Matthew 11:30 repeated to me twice within an hour by two different people, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." So I began to meditate on the scripture to see what the Lord was trying to tell me.
The first "Aha" I experienced came after Googling the word, "yoke" to see what one actually looked like, and I was surprised to realize that a yoke is designed for TWO oxen to put a plow, wagon, or other farming implement. And furthermore, farmers would usually pair one seasoned ox with a younger ox in the yoke to train him in the work being done.
So immediately I got this image of Jesus right beside me as the seasoned ox, helping me shoulder the load of my yoke and guiding me on the path ahead. But actually I realized that he was asking me to be yoked to HIM and his work, rather than giving me strength to carry MY yoke, a yoke that I had been intent on carrying.
What does this scripture require of me? How does it convict me? Well first it tells me that I've got to let go of the yokes I've been hanging on to - - burdens I've chosen or clung to that are not Christ's burdens. Then I need to choose be obedient to him and follow him in carrying HIS yoke.
It's a paradoxical concept because, on the one hand I know that Christ came that I might have life and have it more abundantly, but on the other hand he wants me to be yoked to him. Does it make me a slave to him? Aren't I giving up my freedom? Well, yest and no. I think he calls me to carry this yoke with him and by doing so I'll experience the freedom of his love and grace. I don't want to be yoked to selfish desires, worldly things, or sinful things. I want to be yoked to someone who loves me and wants to give me my heart's desire - - so I actually GAIN my freedom by surrendering and being yoked to him.
Another interpretation of this scripture comes from the perspective that Jesus was telling his followers at the time not to be yoked to the 613 Jewish purity laws that the Pharisees would lord over them. I can see a connection to this teaching in my own life also. What things do I burden myself with daily, saying, "I should be doing this, I should be doing that. I'm not doing enough, etc."
I don't think Jesus wants us to "should" ourselves to death. He wants us to do our best, he wants us to love him, and he wants us to enjoy our life. When we "should" ourselves to death, we are focused on what we didn't do yesterday and what we have to do tomorrow and we are not living in the present moment. We are carrying anxiety and burdens about work left undone and are not at peace.
I think that is what Jesus is saying in this scripture. He says in the preceding lines, "I will give you rest," "learn from me," and, "I am gentle and humble of heart." So he wants to give us a peaceful, fulfilling life not a burdensome and troubling life - - but it takes that first step of agreeing to be yoked to his will, not our own.
I'll have to admit that I also see parallels to Jesus' conversation with Peter in John 21:18 in this scripture. In it, Jesus says to Peter, "When you were younger you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go."
Like Peter before me, only by professing my love for Christ and carrying his yoke can my heart find peace. I'm learning that it's a struggle everyday to recommitt to this, but I know that if I do he will help me carry the load and grant me his peace.
