#keep pace

      In JESUS’ day, farmers used a yoke — a kind of collar       — to link two oxen to each other.

      The yoke was attached to some other object, ie a plow.

      Linked by the yoke, the two oxen could then work together,       pulling whatever burden was attached to the yoke.

      JESUS applies this image to our life with HIM:

      Come to ME, all who labor & are heavy laden, &       I will give you rest. Take MY yoke upon you, &       learn from ME, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, &       you will find rest for your souls.

      For MY yoke is easy, & MY burden is light.       — Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

1.]  Don’t you think it’s a little bit strange that JESUS’ idea       of getting us to rest in HIM involves putting on a yoke?

      A yoke was not created for rest;       it was created for work.****

      It literally has nothing to do with rest at all.

      When JESUS invited the weary & heavy laden to       come to HIM & find rest, we would expect HIM to say       something like, Take off that yoke you’re wearing       — you don’t need it anymore!

      Doesn’t that feel great? Now run… be free!

      But JESUS’ solution for yoke-weariness was       not to cast off the yoke entirely; it was to       yoke ourselves to HIM, to walk in step with HIM.****

      This is a different kind of yoke, one perfectly       fitted to support & aid us in fulfilling HIS purpose       for our lives.

      That doesn’t mean being yoked to CHRIST will always       be comfortable, but it’s not supposed to crush us either.

      Farmers used to train young oxen to plow by partnering       them with stronger & more mature oxen.

      The job of the younger ox was simply to follow in the       same direction & keep pace with the teacher ox.

      The older ox pulled most of the weight &       understood the commands       of the plow driver.

2.]  As long as the young ox followed the older ox,       everything was fine.

      But if the younger ox decided to speed up or lag behind,       the work became much more difficult.

      Only by keeping pace with the older ox could the       younger ox complete the day’s work       without collapsing from exhaustion.

      When we are yoked to CHRIST,       HE carries most of the weight. ****

      Being yoked with HIM means       we are living in a way that allows us rest because       we are under HIS covering of grace.

3.] So what do I mean by “grace”?

      It’s a huge word that is a kind of catchall for       everything amazing about GOD.

      There are endless ways we could talk about grace,       but we’re going to focus on two aspects of it.

Grace is GOD’s undeserved favor that puts us in right relationship with HIM, &

Grace is the power GOD gives that enables us to live the life He’s called us to.

      The heavy-laden people JESUS spoke to did not know grace.

      Instead, they were yoked to a complex system of       Jewish regulations referred to as “the law.”

      Obeying the law as perfectly as they could was       how they stayed in right relationship with GOD &       made sure that the work they were doing for HIM       was acceptable.

      The reason JESUS didn’t tell HIS listeners to throw off       the yoke completely is because they still had work to do       — & as long as we are alive, we too will always have work to do.

      Work is a good thing.

      We were created for purpose,       & that purpose often       finds expression through our daily tasks.

3.1] A life without work is not possible, nor is it desirable.       So the question is not, “Will you work?”       but “How will you work?”       How will you pull the burden of your life’s work along?

      The people in JESUS’ day were using the yoke of       the law to pull their life & everything in it along.

      It left them “tired, worn out, & burned out on religion.”

      The yoke of grace JESUS offered was contrary to       the yoke of the law.

      It was a move from depending on one’s own efforts       & ability to depending on GOD’s grace & power.

3.2] Today, most of us don’t suffer under the yoke of the law       like JESUS’ listeners did, but we have other yokes.

      For us, it’s not so much a choice between the yoke       of grace or the yoke of the law, but between the       yoke of grace & the yoke of performance. ****

      When we believe being productive in our life’s work       depends completely on our own performance, the       weight of laboring under that yoke can be crushing.

      For example, we want to be the best parents possible,       so we look for the ideal parenting methods.

      How our kids turn out is the measure of our parenting       success [we think], so we stress out about every little       thing they do wrong or might do wrong.

      If they don’t turn out “right,”       everyone will know we were failures.

      Or perhaps we want to be the best at our jobs, so       we take on more & more because we are afraid that       saying no means we might fall behind, lose some of       our perks, or be overlooked for next raise or promotion.

      Eventually, the overwhelming demands on our limited       time & energies render us incapable of hearing the       voice of GOD because we don’t have time to stop & listen.

3.3] When we pull the burdens of life by the yoke of our       own performance, then performance sets the pace.

      We race faster & faster, trying to outdo our last       personal best or to measure up to the expectations of others.

      But when we take on the yoke of CHRIST       & let HIM lead, HE determines the pace,       & we find HIS grace makes up       what we are lacking in our performance.

      The apostle Paul gives us a great example of the       yoke of grace in action.

      Paul had pleaded 3x for the LORD to remove what       he called “a thorn in MY flesh” [2 Corinthians 12:7].

      We don’t know what the thorn was.

      Some say it was a painful health issue, while others say       it may have been a temptation he consistently struggled against.

      No matter what it was, we can be sure Paul saw it as a torment       & a hindrance to his life’s work.

      But when he asked the LORD to remove it, the LORD replied,

      MY grace is sufficient for you, for MY power       is made perfect in weakness.

      — 2 Corinthians 12:9

      Paul realized that because       GOD’s grace was enough,       his performance didn’t       have to be perfect.

      His weaknesses, sufferings, hardships, persecution       — anything that worked against him to trip him up       — provided an opportunity for the grace of GOD       to be shown for how powerful it really is.****

      Paul came to a place where he was so dependent       on the grace of GOD that he could say,

      For the sake of CHRIST, then, I am content with       weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, & calamities.       For when I am weak, then I am strong.       — 2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV

4.] Imagine not only enduring weaknesses, but       being content with them — accepting them &       trusting that our weaknesses are an occasion for       the display of GOD’s grace & power!****

      GOD’s wonderful grace is just enough for you & for me.

      HIS grace releases us from the       pressures of perfect performance.

      When we admit we are not perfect & never can be,***

      we affirm our belief that GOD is perfect

       & everything about HIM — HIS work,       timing, strength, provision — is perfect as well.

Galatians 5:1-3 | It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, & do not be encumbered once more by yoke of slavery.

Take notice: I, Paul, tell you if you let yourselves be circumcised, CHRIST will be of no value to you at all. Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

5.] So what does this mean in practical terms?

      Well, if you’re married, let’s say you’ve been preoccupied       with a work or a personal issue & feel guilty about       not being more attentive to your spouse.

      Or maybe as a parent, you feel like you have failed because       you can’t afford to pay for your children’s college education.

      As a friend, perhaps you feel guilty that you       haven’t “been there” enough.

      I encourage you to stop & immediately exit the guilt train.       Wherever you are lacking, GOD’s grace can & will cover you.

      HE designed you knowing you wouldn’t be perfect —       HE never had that expectation for you.

      So why do you have that expectation for yourself?

5.1] The yoke of CHRIST is perfectly fitted to support &       aid us in fulfilling HIS purpose for our lives.****

      It’s not always comfortable, but that’s not the point.

      It is always what I need for the path       HE wants me to walk.

      Under the yoke of grace, I don’t evaluate MY worth       by how many items are checked off on my to-do list.

      Under the yoke of grace, I do not measure my value       against anyone’s expectations — not even my own!

      Nor am I full of discontent as I hurry toward a more       perfect future version of myself.

      Under the yoke of grace, I rest content with where I am       right here, right now, weaknesses & all —       as long as I am walking close to JESUS.