28 “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. 30 My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.”
Reflection
Yesterday Pastor Joe finished his sermon series “On Time” with a discussion on Sabbath: how it’s important, powerful, and is one of many gifts God has given us to take with intention. As we shift our attention from time to gratitude, Matthew 11:28-30 is a great scripture to use for reflection.
Okay, so two things about this scripture…
One: As Pastor Joe told us yesterday, we can make the effort to rest. We can make the effort to give our burdens fully to Christ for at least an hour on Sunday while we sit in the congregation. We can have a reprieve from life outside the building knowing that we are safe and loved unconditionally.
Two: We are not being told to give up our burdens. Jesus is offering us tools to help us manage the weight of those burdens. It’s like we packed for a vacation using plastic shopping bags that are cutting the circulation off in our hands and he’s like, “Hey, I’ve got this great thing called a suitcase, come look! It has handles, zippers, and pockets. See, it even has wheels!”
You still need everything in your bags: a toothbrush, deodorant, clothes, etc. He’s not taking those things from you. We still need the burdens, they’re unavoidable really. They help us grow as individuals and give us a chance to define who we are when faced with challenges. Christ is simply offering us some tools to help us carry those burdens with some ease allowing us the strength and comfort to continue appreciating the good things, the gifts in our lives.
This “yoke” will look different to each of us. Prayer is always tool number one, talking to anyone about our feelings is always therapeutic. It could also be accepting help from someone unexpected. It could be taking advantage of a free afternoon to take a nap instead of chipping away at a project. It could be tackling that project instead of chipping away at chores. It could be a simple act to help someone else in need. Here is a tough one for me: disregarding what others think of you for doing something that may be against the norm, but is very much aligned with Christ’s unconditional love.
It’s not about giving up the burdens or dropping the weight, it’s about accepting Christ’s teachings to help us manage the weight.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
Is there a particular burden weighing you down lately? How can Christ help? What would the yoke that helps you carry this burden look like?
Prayer: Dear Lord, We know that you can’t make our lives perfect, then again, we wouldn’t want you to. Help us understand the gifts you’re offering us for what they are. Help us to see the opportunities for respite and manage the weights in our lives that bring us down. Guide us to understand and take advantage of the gifts you share with us throughout our lives. Amen.
