Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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
11:28-30 NASB
In these two
translations of this passage in Matthew 11, Jesus is telling us that He is
meek, gentle, humble and lowly in heart. If we are to be like Jesus, then we
need to be humble, too. What a comfort to know that Jesus is willing to help
bear our load in life. It is easy to get bogged down—but He can lift those
cares from our shoulders. Pray about the specific things from which you need “rest.”
Stress about covers it all—but what is the source of that stress? Is it your
kids fighting with each other or with neighbors, co-workers or supervisors,
in-laws or other relatives, money, a real need that needs to be met for food
clothing or housing situations, or just your own attitude? Lay whatever it is
at Jesus feet and trust Him to help you specifically with your problem. I’ve
done this before with relationships and needs—and Jesus has given me His peace
and usually provided just what I needed. That is the key—trust. Meekly trust
Him.
Training Tip – Do your children know what a yoke is? Look for an
opportunity for them to see animals yoked together—perhaps at a working farm
nearby or at a county fair. If no opportunities are available then get a piece
of wood, like a 2X4 that is several feet long and tie it to yourself and then
to your spouse or another adult. Pull something heavy together, pushing on that
2X4. Demonstrate how one of you alone can’t easily move the heavy object. Challenge
your kids try to move whatever it is, too. Then get yoked together and show
that the object can more easily be moved. Let your children try out the yoke
for themselves.
Read the
scripture to your children and explain that Jesus want us to be “yoked” to Him
and that He will help us with our heavy problems—just like moving that heavy
object. Jesus is meek—but that is not a bad thing. We need to be meek, like
Jesus. Gentle, humble and willing to serve others, not puffed up, proud, arrogant
and self sufficient.
Lord Jesus, we need to rest in You because we are
weary—physically and spiritually. We humbly ask that we could be yoked to You
and that You would help us and give us rest. My specific need is_______. Thank you.
All
scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise
noted.
© 2013 by Mickey
M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
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