FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023 SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS - YOKING

 FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023, YOU’VE GOT TO BE YOKING ME!!!

On Fridays, I write about spiritual things. In the common lectionary for last Sunday was this scripture:

“Come to me, all weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I’m not a farmer, plus farming with animals is almost unknown. But the concept still exists. 

When plowing a field (without using a tractor), you get better plowing if you have two almost equal animals. Generally, oxen were yoked together. If you had an extra giant bull ox and a petite (if that word can be used) ox, the team might go in a circle if they were yoked together.  

2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers” - or “unequally yoked.” You want two reasonably compatible animals yoked together.  

The scripture from last weekend was, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Here the concept is being “yoked” with Jesus. So, if you will, Jesus and I are the two “animals” that are joined together for a task.  

If we are yoked with Jesus, we can learn from him. The yoke is easy, and the burden is light. I can imagine being figuratively yoked with Jesus - walking with him, growing in faith, and learning how to live, love, and forgive.  

I also can picture Jesus and an older person being compatible, Jesus and a preteen being consistent, and Jesus with anybody being yoked together.  

Christians love our “free will” more than being “yoked” with Jesus. If I don’t like something, I’ll go my way. But when yoked or joined, we function as a team.  

Married couples should think of their lives as being joined together.  

Standard wedding vows generally have these words: “ I, _____, take you, _____, to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death.”

You are joined - until you die.  

Well, that doesn’t always happen - humans want to exercise their free will - and break the yoke.

Likewise, humans don’t want to be yoked with Jesus. 

Scenario:

Person 1: Hey Jesus, I want to go to the strip club with the guys tonight. It’s Billy Bob’s Birthday, and we wish to have a little fun. (So - let me out of the yoke).

Jesus might reply, “Hey, that sounds like fun. Let’s keep the yoke on, and we’ll go together.” 

Person 1:  Nah, Jesus, you don’t want to go to a strip club.

Jesus, “Why not? I’m one of the designers of men’s and women’s bodies. And I hear the strippers have some pretty nice bodies.”

Person 1:  “But, Jesus, you’ll make all the people feel funny - you know, like having a fox in a hen house.”

Jesus, “Hey - you can trust me - and you know  my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

*****

Later - at the strip club.

Person 1:  Hey Jesus, I want to go up and put this five-dollar bill in that stripper’s g-string. Come with me”. 

 

Jesus, “Of course, we’re yoked.”

Person 1 - to the girl, “That was awesome.”

Jesus - to the girl, “That was awesome.”

*****

Later - back at home

Person 1: Jesus, it was okay having you with me. It was still fun. I see your love for the girls was agape love and not eros love (or lust).  

Jesus (laughing): “And what did you expect?”

*****

Is this Jesus one that I want to be yoked with for the rest of my life? YES

Is this person one that I want to be married to for the rest of my life? YES

Yoking is a commitment. Loving and following Jesus is a commitment!! 

LOVE IS A COMMITMENT

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

JUST LIKE YOKING ME TO JESUS TRANSFORMS ME

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, JULY 21, 2023