Here’s the rest of that familiar text from Matthew 11:28. I don’t typically use the New American Standard translation, but it seems to be the version I’ve memorized.
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
That’s the part of this text that is quoted so often to and by people who are overwhelmed with the weight of this world and all its troubles. It’s a powerful verse, reminding us that our ultimate rest is in Jesus.
Recently, I did find myself quoting this verse – to myself – and its message and its familiarity were a comfort to me. However, where I landed during this particular sleepless night this past week was on verse 30, also a familiar one.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Aren’t we all guilty of letting the familiar lose a bit of its power? I know I am. Just a few weeks ago I touched on that same subject.
But my mind, and likely God’s instruction, took me deeper into the reality of verse 30. I started thinking about this illustration that Jesus used, probably because his listeners understood how this whole concept of a yoke works.
Compliments of Google, here’s a quick description: “A yoke of oxen works by distributing the weight of a load evenly between two oxen, allowing them to pull together more effectively.”
Makes sense, right? But is that really how things work in the context of us weak, tired humans linking up with the power of God? I think not!
That’s where my thoughts took me a few days back. I started to think about what it looked and felt like to truly have Jesus as the other half of this duo. It certainly isn’t a load evenly distributed as described above!
I found myself focusing on and lamenting how burdened I felt in the wee hours of that morning. How utterly exhausted I was, mentally, emotionally and physically, from the current challenge I was facing (made worse by not sleeping much that night!).
And then God gave me the picture of what it would look and feel like to have him take every single ounce of the weight of that burden. Here’s the picture he gave me:
It felt like I could be sleeping peacefully in a cozy hammock while God did all the hard work. Granted, we still need to be obedient to how God leads us, but there are clearly times when he calls us to complete rest.
Doesn’t seem quite fair in our “labor-driven” world, does it? We all need to “pull our own weight.” And yet, peaceful sleep and an unloading of that weight is exactly what God wants for us. He doesn’t want us carrying those burdens on our own. We know that, right?
There are tons of scripture verses that talk about how we need to turn our troubles over to God. I’ve used many of them throughout the years of this ministry. It’s at the heart of what a relationship with Jesus looks like.
So, why was this so powerful that night? The only explanation I can come up with is this: While head knowledge and even heart knowledge about what this verse says are comforting, that knowledge didn’t carry the power that this mental image portrayed.
I think that’s why Jesus so often spoke in parables and stories that the people could relate to. Putting the truth of this text into an actual picture in my mind was the catalyst for bringing its truth to a deeper level.
By mentally putting myself in that cozy hammock, while letting Jesus carry the burden, I could feel the weight of my worries lifting, and God’s peace filling my soul. It was a powerful moment, and one I hope I can rely on each time I feel the weight of any circumstances taking over that peace.
Your picture might not be that hammock, swaying in a tropical breeze (yes, I added those details!), and this verse might not even be your comfort verse, but I’d encourage you to try adding some visuals to the words of the scriptures in which you find your comfort. Does it take that comfort to a higher level? I hope that can be your reality, too!
Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you.
Psalm 55:22