18 July 2019 - all you who labor and are burdened

Today's Readings

(Audio)

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.

Who among us is not burdened? Who among us does not long for rest? We seek after these but often exhaust ourselves still further in the search. Just shedding the yoke of our daily responsibilities isn't enough. Many of us can remember a vacation that was more work than rest. The solution to true and sustainable rest is surprising.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.

Perhaps with no yoke we become restless just as with the wrong yokes we become worn down and tired. Yet the yoke of Jesus will not exhaust us nor leave us restless. 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Yoked together with Jesus we do experience the feeling of effort. We are coworkers with Christ (see First Corinthians 3:9) and so there is a sense in which work is involved. Yet this work, though it is a monumental task, does not leave us exhausted. 

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (see Isaiah 40:31).

Moses questioned how this could work for him. God wanted Moses to share in his yoke in a unique way. There would be many challenges for him even after he did so. But God knew it was better for Moses and for his people to be free with him than slaves in Egypt. Moses for his part needed only cooperate. He did not have the strength or skill to bring about this deliverance. Moses and the people ultimately obeyed because of the revelation God gave to Moses about who he is, a revelation which he then shared with the people.

God replied, "I am who am."
Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:
I AM sent me to you."

Moses came near to the burning bush and was able to receive the yoke precisely because of who it was with whom he spoke. We come to Jesus and receive his yoke, not because circumstances necessarily look promising, but because we believe in his love for us.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.