The Yoke of God

      As my daughter made her way into the house it was apparent that she carried a heavy load in her backpack.  “Lots of homework,” I asked?  “No, not really,” she replied.  “Then why the loaded backpack?”  I didn’t want to go to my locker, she said.”  I shrugged the conversation off,  not realizing that God would speak to me about it all a few days later.

     “Your life is like Hannah’s backpack, Jewel”   “You placed burdens on yourself that I have not given you to carry.”  “The loads you’ve put on yourself are choking out life.” 

      “My burden is easy, my yoke is light.”  “The heavy yoke you feel is not from me.”  “It is self-imposed.”  “Let me teach you the way of My yoke”.

      The children of Israel were given instructions much like these.  They were told to gather a portion of manna for each day.  The instructions were very specific and in accordance with the number in the family.   Some listened, some did not.

     Some feared they would not have enough for the next day so they gathered too much.  They didn’t trust God for their next day’s provision. They discovered what happens when you gather apart from God.  Their excess manna became filled with maggots and began to rot. Things around them began to stink.

     On the day before the Sabbath they were told to gather a double portion. This time the double portion stayed fresh, just as God had promised.  

      It was day to day dependence.   It required trust, not in themselves and what they carried, but in God and His promise to take care of them.

      We put so many yokes on ourselves.  Whether it’s our jobs, mothering,  obligations with God, or financial burdens, we yoke ourselves with things He did never placed on us.  We become weary, heavy laden, unable to rest. Life becomes encumbered with self-imposed loads we insist we are responsible to carry.  

    I can go there easily.  It was a natural place of my old man flesh.  I went there again a few days ago.   I want to do all that I can to give my daughter the wedding of her dreams, but the finances are lacking.  I began to feel the responsibility come up with a way to have enough money.   It was heavy and burdensome.  I could feel the pressure pulling me down.

     Jesus broke through my thoughts, “It’s not your responsibility to provide, Jewel, it’s mine.” "It's not your wedding." “Give it to me, it’s mine.   "I've got it."  “Trust me with it all.”    “I am the provision.”  “You are off the hook.”  “Rest in me.”  “The good news is,  I love weddings.”  

      He reminds me of the widow with the flour and oil.  She had only enough to make cakes that would feed herself and her son their last meal.  Elijah showed up at just the right time looking for food.  The widow followed the Word of God, spoken by Elijah and made a meal.  Each and every day she fed them and as promised the oil and flour never ran out.

      It’s true.  I remember.  David was working 2 jobs and the hours were killing him.  He needed to cut back one of his nights but we needed every penny to survive.  We believed God, we trusted, David cut his hours.  To our amazement we never missed the money.  The money never ran out.

      I burden myself with things He never asks me to take.  I can easily manage my life.  I can think it’s up to me.  LIfe begins to feel weighty and burdensome.  LIfe begins to stink, sometimes I feel the maggots devouring everything around me.  

        “Come unto me, He says.” “It’s not up to you, it’s up to ME.”  “I am your sustenance.”   “There is grace and provision sufficient for the day.”  “If you look to yourself to carry the loads, then I won’t be necessary.” “Life will begin to rot and stink.”   “You will be weighed down.” “Trust me with those things that weigh heavy on you.”  “I’m big enough to carry them.”  “I’m big enough to carry you.”

       It’s all about trust.  It was for the children of Israel, it is for me.  Will I trust Him with the cares of tomorrow?    Will I lay down the self-imposed yokes and wear His yoke alone?  He  invites me to rest in the knowledge that He is the one responsible for my needs.   I can rest, He's got it. As I release my load and trust my God, He places His yoke on me.  It's then I feel His sweet release for His yoke is easy, and His burden light.  

©copyrighted:  2009,  Julie L. Todd