Matthew 11:16-19
Upon returning from some time away
from Washington D.C., Abraham Lincoln was asked if he was able to get any
rest. It is said that he replied, “It was a great relief to get away from
Washington and the politicians...but nothing touches the tired spot.” Now
we don’t have the weight of a Civil War upon our shoulders, but we do know what
he’s talking about, don't we? The tired spot? A place deep within
us that can become so weary and burdened that no change of pace or scenery is
able to reach let alone relieve.
Which makes Jesus’s words like a
balm to us. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
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."
Now we already know that Jesus is
not offering us an easy and carefree life, a life that is not touched by grief
or pain or guilt or sickness and all the like. What is Jesus offering us
though, what he is inviting us to live and to know is a rest for the “tired
spot,” a peace for our souls in the midst of all that life can be. For
when we come to Jesus - and that’s not just a one-time event, it’s a daily call
and for some, depending on what’s going on in life, it may be a moment to
moment need - but whenever we come to Jesus he offers our souls a rest
that is like no other. A rest that is not tied to the external
circumstances that are always bound to change. But a rest that is found
in connection to God whose very being is always peace and love and wholeness,
and rest.
Jesus wants all of that for us and
more - a renewed spirit that does not turn away from the labors of life.
“Take my yoke upon you,” he says. Now a yoke is a wooden crosspiece that
is fastened over the necks of two animals and then attached to something that
needs to be pulled. It is a tool for work, hard work even.
And there’s two things I’d like to highlight about this yoke image that Jesus
offers. First, a yoke is a symbol of partnership and connection.
That means that whatever we do in this life and whatever burdens that we might
experience we are never alone for we are yoked with Christ. So God then
is not just a passive presence in the midst of struggle, instead Jesus is
actively engaged in shouldering the load with us and sometimes even for us
while also being at work to bring God’s healing power to bear in any situation.
The second thing to notice is that a
yoke is a symbol of control - or lack thereof. Those who are yoked are
not the ones who get to be in charge. Being willing to take on Jesus’s
yoke means that we surrender control. It is God then who directs us, God
who sets the pace for us (which often seems to be a bit too slow for our liking),
and God who guides us in the work that needs to be done together with
Jesus – the Kingdom work calls upon all that we are to love and serve.
And by doing through the power of the Holy Spirit we are taught a new way, a
lighter way of carrying life.
But don’t think that coming to
Jesus, taking on his yoke and finding rest is intended to be done in
isolation. We are to come to Jesus with others in community. That’s
why we have church. Being connected to God means being connected to God’s
people. We need one another just as much as we need God. For there
are times when we can become so weary and heavy laden that it seems almost
impossible to come to Jesus on our own. Remember the story about the man
who was paralyzed? Jesus was in town healing people, but obviously this
man couldn’t come to Jesus on his own. So his friends brought him,
carrying him on a bed. But when they arrived at the house it was packed
with people and there seemed to be no way to get in. However, these were
very good friends indeed and their mission was not to be thwarted. If
they couldn’t get the paralyzed man through the door, well then, they’d go
through the roof. So after pulling back the tiles these friends lower the
paralyzed man to the floor so he too could come to Jesus and receive rest and
healing for his soul.
As God’s people we are to bear
one another’s burdens and sometimes that means bringing another before Jesus
when for one reason or another they just can’t do it on their own. I know
I’ve done that for others and I am grateful that others have done that for
me. It’s part of being yoked with Jesus and doing the work of the Kingdom
of God. And as we come to Jesus with God’s people we know a rest that is
able to touch any of our tired spots.
So today hear the good news that
Jesus is speaking to you, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying
heavy burdens, 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."
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