Take My Yoke Upon You - Meditation from Matthew 11:28-30

The artist is named J D Kelly. He was Canadian and lived from 1862-1958. Many of the subjects of his paintings were from the War of 1812.

This image takes me back to my childhood. We spent many summers and Christmases in the High Sierra Mountains in Northern California. My mother’s father had built a cabin during the depression on forest service property and it was full of nostalgic stuff from before I was born. There were calendars in each room from different years, all of them expired. But they adorned the otherwise bare walls with Coca Cola Girls, Pipe Tobacco Tins, and Sportsman’s Scenes of hunting and fishing. That on one level is why I like this picture. It reminds me of those calendars from those happy days.

On another level, and one that makes me ponder deeply, I hear the words of Jesus as I look at the oxen. In Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus tells us about his heart. It is lowly and gentle. And he asks us, come to him, take his yoke, and learn from him.

Driving a team of oxen is a lost art today. There are a few associations of enthusiasts that compete in pulling events, but beyond that the tractor has taken over. But as I look at this picture I see that the flourishing and prosperity of the family is directly related to the team of oxen. With them they traveled to this place, cleared the land, plowed their field and are now harvesting their crop. This was how my grandparents and great-grandparents lived.

On a spiritual level this painting is a metaphor of relationships. There is a relationship within the team of oxen. One of them is the lead ox. There is a relationship between the team, the farmer, and his family. In order for this family to be successful in their work they need the team. So then if Jesus bids us to come, take up the yoke, and learn of him that makes him the lead ox. Our task is to wear the yoke he gives us. To learn of him while wearing the yoke is easy as we do exactly what he does because we are connected. When the lead ox put his head down so does the other. When the lead ox moves in any direction so does the other. The ox that follows learns to take instructions from the yoke and movement  is then in concert. So we take our instructions from our Lord and as we submit to him teamwork is achieved. So then relationship to my family, my church, is one of being yoked to my Lord. And the purpose is to provide flourishing and prosperity. I hear people in the church complain about their pastor. Why doesn’t he do this or that. Why isn’t it like this or whatever. And I wonder, don’t they see that their pastor needs a team? The work of ministry in the church is not done by the pastor alone. It requires each of us to take up our yokes and pull together.

Good Friday Meditation

Jesus spoke from the cross as he was dying. Seven words as they have come to be known. From these words we can hear whom our Lord addressed in his time of suffering.

First word; “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. This of course is spoken to the Father on behalf of those crucifying him.

Second word; “Today you will be with me in paradise”. This is a surprising word to us. Our Lord suffering as a prisoner of Rome speaks to his fellow inmate. Words of comfort and assurance. Can any more powerful metaphor be given to show us our state and our responsibility to our fellows?

Third word; “Woman behold your son….behold your mother.” A conversation with the one who bore him and the disciple who loved him.

Fourth word; “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is traditionally taken as Christ’s cry in agony. I don’t dispute it, but I wonder if it could also be the common method of teaching; quoting the first line from the Psalm would in the mind of the hearer recall the entire Psalm. Psalm 22 verse 1 is being quoted and if you were to read the Psalm you would see it describes the crucifixion event to the tee.

Fifth word; “I thirst”. We assume our Lord is thirsty, parched upon the cross. But his consistent compassion echos his earlier words “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” His thirst for the will of the Father as he spoke to the Samaritan woman, “Give me a drink”, answering his disciples he said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work”.

Sixth word; “It is finished”. This is a continuation of the previous word. “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” Accomplish and finished are English translations of the same Greek word, teleo.

Seventh word; “Father into your hands I commend my spirit” Another quotation from the Psalms this time Psalm 31:5. An appropriate prayer at such a time. All who know him would know this to be our Lord’s default prayer. Confirmation that his Father was with him. “He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”