Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
William Barclay tells a heart-warming legend of Jesus and the carpenter shop. "Now there is a legend that Jesus made the best ox-yokes in all Galilee, and that from all over the country men came to Him to the carpenter's shop to buy the best yokes that skill could make. In those days, as now, shops had their signs above the door; and it has been suggested that the sign above the door of the carpenter's shop in Nazareth may well have been: 'My yokes fit well.' It may well be that Jesus is here using a picture from the carpenter's shop in Nazareth where He had worked throughout the silent years" (William Barclay in The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2, p. 19).
Lord Jesus,
You promised me a yoke that would not chafe as I bear the burdens of life to which You have assigned me. You promise to be my yoke-fellow, and to bear the load of life alongside me. You promise me Your Holy Spirit to be my Comforter, my Paraclete, my along-side One.
I am stopping into Your shop this morning for an adjustment of Your yoke upon me. The burden is heavy. Exhaustion ways upon me. Empower me to the task. Stand along-side me and help me to bear the load. I know there are moments when I feel the force of Your strength propelling me forward, my feet barely touching the ground. There are other moments when I cannot discern You next to me, pulling, bearing, encouraging... but You are nevertheless ever present. Thank You.
In my weariness, I am unable to love others as I ought. My weariness mixes anger, impatience, apathy, and boredom with my feeble attempts to love. Fill me with Yourself and a fresh outpouring of your perfect love. Empower me to love.
I cannot bear the burden of the yoke alone. Thank You for being my yoke-fellow. I love You. I need You today.
Amen.
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