Yesterday a friend posed a question, if you only had a short amount of time to teach someone the ways of Christ what would you focus on?
The list could be endless, however, he prefaced it with “a short amount of time”. This morning I believe I found how Jesus would answer that question.
“‘My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so they can know him too.
28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.'” Matthew 11:27-30 CEV
Jesus wants us to know the Father!
He wants us to know the Father’s heart – his love, mercy, grace, power, strength, protection, rest. The Father gave Jesus everything he needed for his life on this earth. Jesus was content to know that the Father was willingly supplying all, nothing was excluded. And He wanted to tell others, us, about the Father so we could know Him too.
Let’s be honest as we assess our lives and current circumstances. When we are tired of carrying heavy loads, all the day-to-day responsibilities, the financial pressures, the need to make a good living, where do we turn? Do we take some sort of sleep aide, maybe another glass of wine, or just work until we are exhausted and are forced to sleep?
Jesus’ words are clear. “Come to me and I will give you rest. Learn from me.” In context, He is telling us to come and learn about the Father, come to know the Father as He does. It’s in learning about the Father and all He is and has provided that we will find true peace and rest.
The word picture that Jesus is giving us here is a farm scene. Take my yoke.
In Jesus day the fields were plowed with a team of oxen. A younger ox would need to be trained to accept the yoke and the proper way to plow. It would be paired with an older, more experienced ox. A yoke would be placed across the neck of both, linking them together. Then the farmer would drive them through the field.
The weight of the yoke would rest solely on the neck and shoulders of the older ox since he was stool taller. The younger ox just needed to learn to walk alongside without straining to go his own way.
The yoke is easy and the burden is light.
When we walk alongside of Jesus, watching His life and learning from Him about the Father and His love, our burdens get lighter. We learn to let the Lord carry the load.
“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” I Peter 5:7 CEV
Now, going back to the question my friend asked yesterday. If I only had a short amount of time, what would I teach? I would teach the goodness of God and the unconditional love of the Father.
“Come learn of me and find rest”!