Yoke or Yoke?

Well, for better or for worse, I’m once again admitting that I’m a bit of a rebel. While this gets me into trouble from time to time, in some areas it serves me well. It all depends on what I’m rebelling against. I might rebel when it comes to cooking every single night, but leftovers are quite tasty, an easy solution, and cuts down on our grocery budget. That’s good! I also rebel when it comes to the HOA measuring the height of our grass. Do they not understand that in order for a yard to be healthy, it shouldn’t be cut so often or so short? Sometimes I go out there with scissors to trim the extra tall bits just to stretch the time between mowing. See? Rebel.

I don’t see rules as something that need to be broken, but I refuse to let someone shackle me with a list of to-dos and do-nots that are not for me because they’re done in my own efforts and strength. We’re not to be guided by what the world says we should do – the expectations of our fellow man – but we’re to be guided by the Holy Spirit. We’re not called to life in our own strength and efforts, but we’re called to rest in Him because of His finished work at the cross. Remember the two disciples that I shared about last week? One was confident in himself, and the other was confident in his God.

Are we justified by religiously reading our Bible every single day? Do we get brownie points for praying for our nation? What about working in the nursery? I know! It’s consistently writing out that check to the church for our ten percent. If there’s a Bible study to lead, we better do it – people will think better of us and I’m sure it impresses God.

All of those things are good! We should be reading the Bible, praying for our nation, volunteering in the nursery, growing the kingdom, and discipling others. But only if God is leading us to do it.

When we attempt to power through doing something God hasn’t called us to, we’ll come to a point of burn out. When that happens, there’s often a bit of shame and self-condemnation that creeps in because we see ourselves as failures. We might even think that we’re being negatively judged by others.

Sometimes God wants to position us as greeters at church instead of working in the nursery. Sure, prayer for our nation is important (Lord knows we need it), but what if the greater calling for you is to pray with the cashier at the grocery store? What if you’re ready to give to the church, but God directs you to give the money to a family in need instead? What if He directs you to give more than ten percent?

Freedom from burn-out comes when we operate in His strength and not our own. We will stop seeking the approval of others when we rest in the knowledge that God has approved of us because of Jesus. Not the amount of money we give, not the number of times we’ve prayed and read the Bible, and not because we’ve braved the nursery.

Reading my Bible to get my day started or doing a devotional that attaches practical application to God’s Word is beneficial to me and my family. My tribe can tell when my spirit is not being fed because of how I respond to what comes at me in the day. Listening to praise and worship causes a shift in my spirit that brings about a peace that can’t be found when listening to 70’s rock or some sad country song. And there’s nothing God-honoring about the music that Swifties have been swooning over.

All of the things that the church tells us we need to do in order to be a good Christian are just that – good things. But they do not justify us in the sight of God. It’s not Bible reading, tithing, or volunteering that will give us the right to boldly approach His throne. Like Abraham (check out Romans 4), we are justified by faith.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. Romans 5:1-2 NLT

When I trust in my faithfulness to God, I’ve lost sight of His gift of grace, and I will always be disappointed. He is faithful.

This is a common, ongoing issue. It seems that mankind always has something to prove. The feeble attempts to operate in our own strength dates all the way back to the Garden of Eden. They messed up and tried to cover themselves. These leaves will save us! That’s just like saying that our faithfulness will keep the covenant that God made with Himself (Hebrews 6:17-20) – we’re the recipients, and this covenant was never based on our performance.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

The word yoke in Greek is a coupling, a joining, a connection, and servitude to a teaching (Strong’s G2218). Jesus was saying that when we submit to His teaching and His guidance, it’s a light burden. If we look at what yoke is understood to mean in the Hebrew language, we might understand this a bit more. In Hebrew, the word yoke might be used to mean something negative and heavy, but context is key. Look up the ancient Hebrew definition – the word yoke is also understood to mean staff. A staff is what the shepherd uses to reach out to his sheep in order to guide them in the right direction (check out my post Then I Found Grace).

As someone who is out to spread the good news of God’s grace, I can’t emphasize this enough – please don’t allow the good intentions of the church to place an unhealthy expectation of works around your neck. They’re good intentions – do I need to say that part again? The church is not trying to direct you with an underlying evil intention. They want us to be strong in our faith. They want us to overcome when we face hardships. But we can’t do it unless we have the Holy Spirit.

When you’re faced with someone asking you to volunteer in the nursery and you start to feel a touch of anxiety, that’s probably not God. Start exploring different ways of serving until you find an area that gives you a sense of peace. Then take the next step. When you’re deciding what to give, settle on an amount that brings you joy. And keep talking with God – He’ll never tell you to stop (I Thessalonians 5:17).