Dearly Beloved,

TAKE HIS YOKE!

"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 11:29-30, NIV).

A Bible commentator defined a yoke as "a bar or frame of wood by which two draft animals, especially oxen, are joined at the necks or heads for working together, for drawing a load or pulling a plow." It is a primitive tool used mostly by farmers. It takes two animals for a yoke to be effective. No animal can work effectively without a yoke.

A yoke has been used figuratively to mean many other things. Mostly, people have been using it to mean suffering or affliction. Therefore, to hear anything like taking or having a yoke connotes a bad feeling. In fact, a yoke speaks some hardship. However, Jesus Christ enjoins us to take His yoke! (Matthew 11:29-30). What is His yoke? What does it mean to take it?

To take the yoke of Jesus Christ upon us means to put ourselves into the relation of servants and subjects to Him. It means to conduct ourselves accordingly, in a careful obedience to all His commands, and a cheerful submission to all His disposals. It is to yield ourselves totally to Him. He has appointed this yoke. He has Himself drawn in it before us, for He learned obedience. He wants anyone that will take His yoke to also learn some characters from Him. These characters include humility, gentility, diligence, submission, patience and other Christ-like attributes. In spite of its seeming hardship, the yoke of Jesus Christ is easier and lighter than any other yoke. No wonder, anyone who takes it finds rest in Him.

People are taking many yokes today. No one is exempted. What kind of or whose yoke are you taking? Are you yoked with people, belief, value, or situation that are heavier than you? Yield to the advice of Jesus Christ. Take His yoke. Commit yourself to Him. His yoke is easy and light. Learn from Him and find rest for your soul.

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

NB

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