Have you ever been worn down or stressed out? If the last 11 months has not done that to you, you are one of the few. Suicides, drug overdoses, marital problems, depression, and many other issues have increased in the past year. People have lost their sense of worth, their purpose for living. Life slowed down and suddenly everyone had to grapple with who they were. They could no longer hide in the busyness of life. Even followers of Jesus have found themselves in these situations. If you find yourself in a tough place, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to help. Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Find someone spiritual that you can open your heart to and share that burden. We are not designed to carry the burdens alone.
Jesus told the people listening to Him in, Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. We find a couple of interesting things in these verses, first the invitation to all who find themselves weary and burdened. Is there anyone who has not found themselves in this place at some point in time? I am sure most of us have grown weary and worn out by the events and circumstances of our lives. Jesus is aware of it and is offering to give us rest. Now the way the rest comes may be different than what we might imagine. The second interesting thing is that he offers to help us with the burdens, not take them away. He tells us to take His yoke and learn from Him. Back in the day, when oxen were used to till the ground or accomplish other labor-intensive jobs, it was common for a mature ox to be paired with a young ox for the purpose of training the younger one. If you were to pair two young oxen that had no experience you would have no idea what to expect from them because they would have no idea what they were supposed to be doing. The likelihood of them pulling the plow in a straight line would be slim to none. It would be more probable that they would pull in opposite directions because they would have had no training. But put an older stronger ox in the yoke with the young one and the young one has the opportunity to learn. We are the young one who needs to learn. Jesus is there for us, carrying the bulk of the load and teaching us the things we need to know. As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we may be able lean into the load more, but we will never pull the load by ourselves. What a relief. We are not in this alone.
This is great news for those of us who are followers of Jesus, but it is not just for us. There are many of our friends and neighbors who need to hear this message. They are struggling with the burdens of their lives. They are weary. We have the answer. Let us freely share with them the answer we have found in Jesus! Lord Jesus give us compassion for them and the boldness to speak the truth in love. Amen.
Roger Brokaw
Elder