“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me…you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29 (NKJV)
A yoke is a wooden crosspiece used to harness animals to the plough or cart that they are expected to pull.
Jesus invites us to take His yoke and rest from all the heavy burdens we carry. He assures us He is good, gentle, and humble in heart, not burdensome. Let’s ask ourselves the tricky question: Are we carrying such a burden?
It can be especially hard when the focus is on the earthly father’s role in our lives. Maybe we are carrying a hidden emotion of sadness that our father was not the father we hoped for. This can be a factor that affects our relationship with God as our heavenly Father; we find it challenging to receive His love when we haven’t experienced the love of an earthly father. It is a burden that can weigh us down, causing weariness in our spirit.
Let’s ponder the qualities of God’s character that we would like to see our father emulate: protection, provision, teaching, nurturing, and comforting. It can be disappointing for those of us who haven’t seen these qualities. But God wants to remind us that He has always known who our parents would be. He had a plan for our lives even before we were born (Psalm 139:13-16). We are not a mistake, our timing isn’t wrong, our position in our family is not a mistake; we are a presence to our family given by God.
God’s grace is always there for us. He gives guidance, wisdom, and strength to fulfil His plan for our lives. God empowers and strengthens each one of us to do the work He has ordained us to do. Whatever our heavy burden is, Jesus invites us to lay all our burdens down at His feet, take His ‘yoke’ and follow His leading. How can we do this?
- Start by asking God to help us forgive the earthly father we expected.
- Ask God to father us in the ways our earthly father never did. God has promised to renew our heart and spirit while removing our heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26).
- Give thanks. As we draw closer to God, we must continually thank Him for loving us in ways we want and need to be loved.
As we celebrate Father’s Day in June, it may be one of pain or joy, because of who our earthly father was or still is. Regardless, there is confidence and trust that our heavenly Father will never leave or forsake us. God will never disappoint us.
Prayer
Thank You, Jesus, that You want to carry my burdens. I surrender all to You. Thank You for Your peace, thank You for Your rest. Teach me, oh Lord, how to take on Your yoke, to lay all my concerns at Your feet, and to walk in Your ways that You have set before me. You are the perfect Father. Thank You for being in my life. In Jesus’ name! Amen.
Read: Psalm 4:8; Mathew 11:27
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 69:13-28; Acts 1:1-22; 2 Samuel 3:22-39; 2 Samuel 4; 2 Samuel 5:1-5