UNHURRY HACK: Jesus teaches us right where we are.
FIRST READ Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you.
Last week I had a heavy decision on my mind, that was weighing down my heart and the phrase “let me teach you” pierced my heart. I don’t think I had ever even noticed that part before. Yet, that’s what the Holy Spirit does when we read God’s Living Word. He teaches us right where we are.
“Let me teach you,” Jesus says after he tells us to to put on His yoke. Jesus promises that He will show us how to wear it. Burdens under the world’s yoke cause my shoulders and neck to hurt with tension. The world does not promise peace with its yoke. Jesus says His is light and easy to bear. Even when our physical body is hard at work in our career, or fighting illness, care taking, or just needing discernment, we are tethered to God’s strength, wisdom, peace, and rest in the midst of our work.
“Let me teach you…” a little further digging in my Bible Concordance gave me even more clarity when I learned that the greek word used here in this phrase means to learn, study, be instructed, even get into the habit of being. Wow! God will even teach us how to be yoked to him.
A yoke was often placed on oxen to toil the fields. Being yoked to the Lord, however, leads us to freedom at the Lord's lead. The field oxen could only be yoked to one master, and so is true for us. The weight of sin, worry, striving, material success, all weigh us down, but the yoke of Jesus is forgiveness, love, peace, wisdom, and purpose, just to name a few. If you carry a burden today, trade them for the yoke that is light.
As believers, we are tethered to Jesus who is the One guiding us, but it is so tempting to slip on the heavy yoke of the stresses of this world. I learned this week that when thoughts of worry threaten me, Jesus will teach me to trust Him. I could make my big decision that I had been faithfully committed to prayer, and I trust Jesus lead me to make the right choice. I could rest in knowing I wouldn’t have all the answers and I wouldn’t know how to do it all, but yoked to Jesus, I could learn. After all, that is what being a disciple is all about, not having all the answers, but learning.
Take a moment and pray through Matthew 11:28-30, and ask Jesus to teach you how to lay down your burdens and not pick them back up. What do you need to let Jesus teach you today?
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” John 14:26-28 (NIV).
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