Reveal The Yoke

Wednesday, October 18, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Psalm 27:14

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Memory verse: Philippians 4:8 ►Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Today's reading: ISAIAH 53-55 2 THESSALONIANS 1

Reveal The Yoke

Matthew 11 says: 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.

The Lord's burden is light. Compared to the burden of the enemy that pulls us down and covers us with guilt and shame, the Lord's burden is light. But, the Lord still gives us a 'burden' or a load to carry that is the life of discipline in the ministry of His kingdom. This is not a discouraging word because He has given us all we need to carry the load and carry out a life of obedience because His love for us is endless. God wants us to live in victory.

Any athlete or warrior or great statesmen or great janitor...they can all tell you that hard work is involved if you want to be the best you can be and this is a challenge to carry on.

'To carry on' implies we carry something. We all have a load of some kind in this life. It is a daily choice as to whether we carry our load in grace or misery. It is a daily choice as to what kind of a load we 'carry'.

When we choose to follow Jesus, we choose to take on His life and He says that His 'yoke' is light. It is divine and eternal and is light-as opposed to the darkness. It is light and takes us through hard times with great grace but God teaches us great things as we fight through the hard times.

Hebrews 12:5 ►And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you..."

What does 'do not make light of the Lord's discipline' mean? It means to not treat it lightly-take it seriously! Taking on the Lord's yoke means that we have given up our life for His. Cheap grace tells us that salvation is free. It has never been free. It's original cost is the sacrifice Christ Jesus made on the cross. How could we ever treat it lightly?

2 Thessalonians 2, verse 13 says, "...God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sharing in Christ's glory is no easy task but one that involves our total involvement as we live and work and raise families and work. His yoke is light and it fills our life with light every step of the way if we continue to seek Him.

Paul's benediction at the end of the second chapter of Second Thessalonians says: 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

With every good word and deed we reveal the 'light' of the yoke of Christ. His encouragement and good hope along with His ever-present love compels us to work on in love and joy.

Philippians 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I complain; I stall out; I confess it. I pray that You who love us, who by Your grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage our hearts and strengthen us in every good deed and word. May we never take this lightly.

Great Father of encouragement and good hope and love,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen