Tuesday, September 24, 2024
It is incredibly easy to become wrapped up in the chaos of our own lives.
We are constantly weighed down by school, work, our daily duties at home, and other obligations. Personally, when I have a day off, I constantly feel the pressure to be doing something—if it is not productive, then I feel guilty for seemingly wasting my time. You know the daily rush: wake up, leave in a hurry to get to work and/or school, rush home to take care of daily chores, go to bed, and repeat. On these days, I find myself forgetting or being “too tired” to read my Bible, rushing through my prayers, and becoming complacent in my faith.
Thankfully, Jesus has a straightforward solution to this problem—he invites us to be yoked with him, so that he can walk with us in our daily lives.
Matthew 11:29-30
29 “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Oxford Languages defines a yoke as “a wooden cross piece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.” The animals share the weight of the load, making it much easier to carry. Jesus used this as a metaphor—he wants us to let go of our earthly burdens and surrender our lives to him.
By yoking ourselves with him, Jesus helps to carry our burdens, lightening our load. Allowing Jesus to work in our lives and surrendering everything to him gives us the peace and respite we so desperately need from this weary world.
This does not mean that we will never face challenges or that we should stop putting the work into each aspect of our lives. Instead, it means that we can drop the weight of the world off of our shoulders. We are no longer slaves to worry, fear, or pressure. We can live our lives intentionally in the present moment, looking forward to the future with hope.
This week, place all of your burdens at the foot of the cross. Take on Jesus’ yoke, and live joyfully, focusing on the things that matter most.
Questions:
What does taking on Jesus’ yoke look like in your daily life? Have there been times in your life when you’ve been so overwhelmed that you asked Jesus to carry your burden?
Are you suffering from burdens in your life that you need to surrender to Jesus?
Next Steps:
This fall semester, join a Group to connect with likeminded Jesus followers, who help each other carry their burdens.
Prayerfully ask God to reveal any areas of your life that you still need to surrender to him, and then work on doing exactly that!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son into our world to save me from my sins and give hope to a weary world. Help me take on Jesus’ yoke and let go of any burdens that may be weighing me down. Remind me that you are always with me in my daily life and available to share my burdens. Help me let go of the pressures of this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Ephesians 3:16-17
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.