My Yoke is Easy and My Burden is Light
www.moravian.org/daily_texts/
Wednesday, February 1st
Readings for Today:
Psalm 18:30-36
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm18&version=NIV
Genesis: 31:22-55
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis31&version=NIV
Matthew 11:25-12:8
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew11&version=NIV
Psalm 18:30-36
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
The psalmist reflects on the all-sufficiency of God. His Word is flawless it never fails to accomplish what it sets out to do. As we find our refuge in Him, we are secure and do not have to worry. God keeps, makes, trains and provides. Notice all the focus is on God and not on us. It is even God who makes us great. In a world that lives by the song “I did it my way”, this psalm reminds us that is only by God’s way that we can accomplish all that God intends for us. In what ways do you need to acknowledge God’s way is better than your own? Will try His way today?
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them.
The crazy story of Jacob’s dealings with his Uncle Laban come to an end today. By the grace of God, Laban does not find the household gods that Rachel had stolen, which would have caused further controversy. Laban can see that God has been with Jacob, and has been warned in a dream not to try and stop him, so they agree to cut a covenant. They gather some stones as a physical remembrance of the deal they make.
The terms of the deal are that Jacob with not mistreat Laban’s daugthers and granddaughters, and boundary line that separates them acts as a barrier to protect them from each other. Not optimal, but an otherwise suitable ending to a stormy relationship. Despite all the human foibles in this story, we see God continues to honor the covenant made through Abraham and Issac. Jacob’s character is starting to come around as he lives into his identity as a son of the covenant, and carries out God’s kingdom purpose albeit in a circuitous way.
The Father Revealed in the Son
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Now we come to some of my favorite verses in the whole bible. Jesus relays that all things have been given to him by His Father, and He has now revealed them to us (little children). The sense is that what Jesus has revealed is best accepted as a little child, full of faith in their parents. Then Jesus offers the invitation of all time, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Then the challenge, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Could it be true that the Christian life is easy? I think we usually think of it as hard. And is that because we make it hard? The yoke of the oxen was perfectly fit so the oxen would not have to strain unnecessarily to pull the load. Jesus has fashioned a yoke for us to follow him which is perfectly fit for us. If we feel it is a burden following Jesus, there is a good chance we have something wrong. We have the wrong yoke. Likely we are trying to carry the burden ourselves, especially the burden of our sin. If we are tired or heavy laden, there is a good chance we are relying on self all too much.
Do you need rest? Are you tired? Are you tired of pulling all the load? Accept Jesus’ invitation this morning. Come into him and lay your burden on him. He has already carried your burden to the cross and paid for it all, forever. You can walk in freedom knowing He has done it for you. As you follow Him His commands are not burdensome, because we are walking in the easy yoke of discipleship. This is a foreign concept to many Christians. The great need in the church today is to teach and model the easy yoke of discipleship. There are many who are weary and burdened and in need of the rest that only Jesus can bring!
Almighty God, we are mindful of your steadfast love and protection over our lives. Thank you for acting on our behalf as we journey through life. May we always feel secure in your haven of love. Amen.
Wednesday, February 1st
Readings for Today:
Psalm 18:30-36
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm18&version=NIV
Genesis: 31:22-55
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis31&version=NIV
Matthew 11:25-12:8
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew11&version=NIV
Psalm 18:30-36
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
The psalmist reflects on the all-sufficiency of God. His Word is flawless it never fails to accomplish what it sets out to do. As we find our refuge in Him, we are secure and do not have to worry. God keeps, makes, trains and provides. Notice all the focus is on God and not on us. It is even God who makes us great. In a world that lives by the song “I did it my way”, this psalm reminds us that is only by God’s way that we can accomplish all that God intends for us. In what ways do you need to acknowledge God’s way is better than your own? Will try His way today?
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them.
The crazy story of Jacob’s dealings with his Uncle Laban come to an end today. By the grace of God, Laban does not find the household gods that Rachel had stolen, which would have caused further controversy. Laban can see that God has been with Jacob, and has been warned in a dream not to try and stop him, so they agree to cut a covenant. They gather some stones as a physical remembrance of the deal they make.
The terms of the deal are that Jacob with not mistreat Laban’s daugthers and granddaughters, and boundary line that separates them acts as a barrier to protect them from each other. Not optimal, but an otherwise suitable ending to a stormy relationship. Despite all the human foibles in this story, we see God continues to honor the covenant made through Abraham and Issac. Jacob’s character is starting to come around as he lives into his identity as a son of the covenant, and carries out God’s kingdom purpose albeit in a circuitous way.
The Father Revealed in the Son
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Now we come to some of my favorite verses in the whole bible. Jesus relays that all things have been given to him by His Father, and He has now revealed them to us (little children). The sense is that what Jesus has revealed is best accepted as a little child, full of faith in their parents. Then Jesus offers the invitation of all time, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Then the challenge, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Could it be true that the Christian life is easy? I think we usually think of it as hard. And is that because we make it hard? The yoke of the oxen was perfectly fit so the oxen would not have to strain unnecessarily to pull the load. Jesus has fashioned a yoke for us to follow him which is perfectly fit for us. If we feel it is a burden following Jesus, there is a good chance we have something wrong. We have the wrong yoke. Likely we are trying to carry the burden ourselves, especially the burden of our sin. If we are tired or heavy laden, there is a good chance we are relying on self all too much.
Do you need rest? Are you tired? Are you tired of pulling all the load? Accept Jesus’ invitation this morning. Come into him and lay your burden on him. He has already carried your burden to the cross and paid for it all, forever. You can walk in freedom knowing He has done it for you. As you follow Him His commands are not burdensome, because we are walking in the easy yoke of discipleship. This is a foreign concept to many Christians. The great need in the church today is to teach and model the easy yoke of discipleship. There are many who are weary and burdened and in need of the rest that only Jesus can bring!
Almighty God, we are mindful of your steadfast love and protection over our lives. Thank you for acting on our behalf as we journey through life. May we always feel secure in your haven of love. Amen.
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