FollowingJesus.me

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:29

Jesus is offering something that sounds both appealing and important, soul rest. I am not even sure what that is, but it sounds amazing. I regularly, well at least sometimes, get rest. Sometimes I get adequate sleep at night and don’t wake up utterly exhausted. However, even then, I know there is something more. My body may be rested, but with all that goes on in the world around me, my spirit, my mind, my emotions are tired; my “soul” is tired. There is a level of refreshing and rest that we recognize we need, but aren’t really sure how to get. To that end, Jesus has an offer, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…and you will find rest for your souls.”

That sounds good, but as I think about it, his offer sounds a bit crazy. Here is what I mean. Bible scholars disagree over whether Jesus is referring to a “yoke” of rabbinical teaching or a yoke for livestock. Regardless, the “yoke” represents some type of burden which unveils the irony here. Usually, when preparing to rest, we remove the burden; we stop working, we change out of our work clothes, we put away the tools or devices we use, we have a seat, and put our feet up. However, Jesus is inviting his hearers to experience rest by taking on a burden.

Jesus says that if we want real rest, “rest for your soul”, it works differently. Putting on this yoke represents surrendering control to someone or something else. (Giving up control sounds even less restful doesn’t it?) Jesus is either asking his hearers to surrender to the farmer guiding the oxen under the yoke OR giving up our own way and submitting to the rabbinical teaching. He is asking his hearers to surrender to Him and reminds them that he is “gentle and humble in heart.” This is an important distinction from the usual masters who lord it over their subjects. “I can give you the rest you want and need, but you have to trust me.”

Jesus’ invitation reminds me of another Scripture (a poem) from the Old Testament, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” There it is again, the idea of soul rest. And, again, there is the link between real rest and surrender. David, the writer of this poem, understood rest in the context of submission, i.e. the sheep & shepherd relationship. I also notice all the shepherd’s activity in these lines, he makes, he leads, he refreshes; yes He refreshes.

Body rest comes because we stop, sleep, etc. Rest/refreshment for the soul is not the same. Soul rest comes because “He refreshes.” This kind of rest is dependent on someone else, namely the Shepherd, Jesus.

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.”

What does this mean for us? I recognize the need for rest for my soul and for someone to refresh my soul. More sleep, spending time by myself, taking a vacation, etc. are not doing it. Here, I am realizing a couple of things. First, given what we have read, maybe I lack soul rest because I hold onto the idea that I can make it happen. Real refreshment doesn’t come because I have a hard time giving up control, surrendering to someone else.

The attitudes getting in the way of my rest are: wanting to be in control, trying to provide or get rest myself, thinking I know what is best for me, an unwillingness to come to Jesus, learn from him, and take on his yoke. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Fortunately, I now know what it is going to take to get rest for our souls. We must give up. We must surrender. We must trust and follow Jesus implicitly, allowing him to show us what’s really best.

So, the question comes; when? When will I finally surrender? When will I finally give up control over my life? When will I allow the Good Shepherd to refresh my soul?

Prayer:
Jesus, my Good Shepherd, thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for meeting my every need. Thank you for leading me to lie down in green pastures and by quiet waters. Help me surrender to you so that you can refresh my soul. You know I need it, I need you and I know you want to provide. You have asked us to come to you, learn, surrender, and find rest for our souls. Here I am, Lord, all that I am and all that I have. I am Yours. Please, draw me close and refresh my soul.

Thank you, Jesus!