Not so long ago, I shared a meditation from one of my spiritual "guides", the late Henry Nouwen. Today, I re-post from another of my faith heroes, Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life and founder/senior pastor of Saddleback Church. I read The Purpose Driven Life just as I was about to turn 50.
It transformed me.
I am fairly certain that you would not be reading this blog (by the way, thanks for that) had I never picked up Rick's book. It took a few years and tons of prayer, but eventually I added this blog to my Faith Journey. The meditation I share below offered tremendous comfort to me this week just ended. I am still out of work, my unemployment benefits have dried up and money is scarce. But, Rick's message reminded me that there is One to whom I can come, any time, for solace and succor. One who shares my pain, my fears, my despair.
Even my anger and frustration.
Talk It Over
Even my anger and frustration.
I pray Rick's words comfort
you, as well.
“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 11:28-30 (RSV)
I don’t know what burden you’re carrying. I don’t know
what’s weighing you down. But I do know the answer.
Jesus says, “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 11:28-30 RSV).
For many years I never understood that verse, because I
didn’t know what a yoke was. When Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you,” it
sounded to me like he was going to give me something else to deal with. I’ve
got a heavy enough burden, Lord. I don’t need to take your problems on me.
A yoke is actually a board that has two arches in it that
you put over two cattle so they can pull a cart.
The value of a yoke is that it halves the load. Without a
yoke, one cow’s got to pull that entire load by itself. But if you yoke up the
cow with another cow, then the two cows pull the load together, and the load is
half as heavy.
When Jesus says to take his yoke upon you, he’s not saying he’s
going to give you his problems. Jesus doesn’t have any problems! He’s saying
he’s going to share your problem. He’s going to share your load. He’s going to
take your stress on himself and bear it with you.
Wow!
He says three verbs in this verse: come, learn, and take.
Jesus says, “Come to me. Team up with me. Then, learn how I do it. Take on a
lighter load. This is going to reduce your stress. This is going to make it
easier for you to navigate.”
When you’re yoked with Christ, you move together with him.
You move in the same direction and at the same speed. And, you move in the
right direction and at the right speed.
Talk It Over- Why
is it sometimes difficult to accept help from someone who wants to share
your burdens and make it easier on you?
- Do
you have people in your life who are willing to do that for you? How are
you offering yourself to others to help reduce their stress?
- God
already knows all about your stress. How will you show him that you are
ready to take on his yoke?
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Reminder: if you have a prayer need, please click on the Share a Prayer? tab and send it my way. I will
respond.
Have a wonderful day!
Love אנגלית الإنجليزية
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