What's Your Burden

"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." (Mt 11:29-30)

Years ago God gave me a picture of this verse which gave me an understanding that I've never heard taught from the pulpit: Jesus' burden was that He was going to the cross. He knew long before it happened that it would happen. That was why He came. We go through our lives crying at our circumstances (real or contrived). We're mad at not being rescued everytime whether it was our choices that got us there in the first place or "just fate". Take a moment and realize the truth in this verse: Jesus' burden was that He was going to the cross. I know I just said that exact thing ~ copy & paste is great when emphasizing something. He said His burden is light. He knew He would die for the salvation of many, but would have done if it were just for the salvation of one ~ you.

How heavy is that burden you're carrying? Would you lay it down for the lightness of the cross?

There are two parts to this verse. I've talked about the second, but I can't let you miss the first part: His yoke is easy. He was yoked to His own cross on which He would die. Many people don't know or don't remember the significance of a yoke. If you look it up you will find it is simply a type of harness used on beasts of burden to pull whatever they are charged to pull. The yoke He's offering in this verse is a dual yoke. This means that two beasts of comparable size and strength are to pull the load. Jesus' offering of His yoke tells me that He knows we have the same strength He had to pull His burden of the cross AND that He doesn't want you to be alone in your burden.

How did Jesus gain the strength it required to die on the cross? By spending time with His Father. He sought God in all He did before doing it. I had a pastor years ago who used to chastise the flock for not spending the first 2.4 hours of our day in prayer with the Lord. Most of us worked full-time (or more) jobs and didn't have the energy to expend in a concentrated time with the Lord before going to the job. It was in realizing what and when Jesus did things that I was able to be freed of the condemnation that pastor had put on us. A tithe of my day is 2.4 hours, but nowhere in God's word do I see it to be the FIRST 2.4 hours. The tithe was always the BEST of the crop. Therefore, God wants the best 2.4 hours I can give Him in any day & they don't have to be consecutive.

Give God the best of your time. Lay all of your burdens down at His feet. He will show you His glory.

Walking in the glory of the God who created me for His pleasure.