Let Jesus Set The Pace
Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)
When Jesus uses this metaphor of a yoke in Matthew chapter 11, he says, “take my yoke upon you…for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Just in case you’re not familiar, let me explain how a yoke works. A yoke is a wooden beam that attaches two farm animals together. The purpose is to make the load easier. Instead of one horse pulling the load, the yoke is used by two animals so they can carry more, because they’re working together.
The point Jesus is making in this verse is that He wants you to take His yoke upon you because with Him you can do more than you can do by yourself. God never meant for us to go through life on our own. I like what Psalm 55:22 says. “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Jesus says, come to me, join up with me and I’ll help you.
Here’s why yoking your life with Christ is so important, because when you are yoked together with someone, you have to move in the same direction and at the same pace that they move. Perhaps, some of us are stressed out because we are not in alignment. When you are going in the same direction and are living your life at the same pace as Christ you stress less because you know He’s got your back. Your satisfaction level goes up because you’re letting Him dictate the course of your life. Jesus said take my yoke upon you because He wants to be the pacesetter of our lives.
Let me ask you a question: Who is setting the pace in your life right now? Is it society? Is it your boss? Is it your circle of friends? Is it your emotions and feelings? Are you following your agenda or God’s agenda? Are you wearing yourself out because you’re looking around at everyone else and letting them dictate the pace of your life? Did you buy a bigger house, not because your family grew or you really needed one, but because you saw your sister’s or brother’s new house? If Jesus is your pacesetter, if you take His yoke upon you, you won’t be burdened trying to keep up, because you’ll be more concerned with walking with Him. And isn’t that the best place you could be?
When Jesus uses this metaphor of a yoke in Matthew chapter 11, he says, “take my yoke upon you…for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Just in case you’re not familiar, let me explain how a yoke works. A yoke is a wooden beam that attaches two farm animals together. The purpose is to make the load easier. Instead of one horse pulling the load, the yoke is used by two animals so they can carry more, because they’re working together.
The point Jesus is making in this verse is that He wants you to take His yoke upon you because with Him you can do more than you can do by yourself. God never meant for us to go through life on our own. I like what Psalm 55:22 says. “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Jesus says, come to me, join up with me and I’ll help you.
Here’s why yoking your life with Christ is so important, because when you are yoked together with someone, you have to move in the same direction and at the same pace that they move. Perhaps, some of us are stressed out because we are not in alignment. When you are going in the same direction and are living your life at the same pace as Christ you stress less because you know He’s got your back. Your satisfaction level goes up because you’re letting Him dictate the course of your life. Jesus said take my yoke upon you because He wants to be the pacesetter of our lives.
Let me ask you a question: Who is setting the pace in your life right now? Is it society? Is it your boss? Is it your circle of friends? Is it your emotions and feelings? Are you following your agenda or God’s agenda? Are you wearing yourself out because you’re looking around at everyone else and letting them dictate the pace of your life? Did you buy a bigger house, not because your family grew or you really needed one, but because you saw your sister’s or brother’s new house? If Jesus is your pacesetter, if you take His yoke upon you, you won’t be burdened trying to keep up, because you’ll be more concerned with walking with Him. And isn’t that the best place you could be?
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