Topic: Jesus Wants to Share Your Burden [RICK WARREN Devotional 5 January 2022]
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Jesus Wants to Share Your Burden
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (RSV)I don’t know what burden you’re carrying. I don’t know what’s weighing you down. But I do know the answer to your trouble.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 RSV).
For many years, I never understood what Jesus meant when he said, “Take my yoke upon you.” It made me think, “Lord, do you want to give me something else to deal with? My burden is heavy enough already! I don’t need to take your problems on me!”
Then I learned that a yoke is a board with two arches, and it’s placed over two cattle so they can pull a cart.
The value of a yoke is that it cuts the load in half. Without a yoke, one cow has to pull the entire load by itself. But if you yoke up the cow with another cow, then the two animals pull the load together, making it half as heavy.
So, when Jesus tells you to take on his yoke, he’s not saying he’s going to give you his problems. Jesus doesn’t have any problems! He’s saying he’s going to share your problems. He’s going to share your load. He’s going to take your stress on himself and bear it with you.
Wow!
Jesus uses three notable verbs in this Scripture: come, learn, and take. It’s like Jesus said, “Come team up with me so you can learn how I do it. Take on a lighter load that will reduce your stress and make your problems easier to navigate.”
When you’re yoked with Christ, you move together with him. You move in the same direction and at the same speed. You move in the right direction and at the right speed. And you move with a lighter burden.
- Why is it sometimes difficult to accept help from someone who wants to share your burdens and make it easier on you—even when that someone is Jesus?
- Think of a fellow Christian who’s carrying a heavy burden. What’s a practical way you can encourage them to let Jesus share that burden?
- Jesus already knows all about your stress. Are you ready to take on his yoke? If not, what is holding you back?
Have you trusted God’s promise of salvation?
If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, then pray this prayer:
“Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
“I confess my sin, and I receive you into my life as my Lord and Savior. Today, I’m turning every part of my life over to you. I want to follow you and do what you tell me to do.
“Jesus, I am grateful for your love and for your sacrifice that makes it possible for me to join you in heaven. I know I don’t deserve it. And I thank you that I don’t have to earn or work for my salvation, because I know that is impossible. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I humbly commit my life to you, and I ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”