Listen:
“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.” (Matthew 11:29 )
Reflect:
A child (as I once was), is told by her parent to do something. It’s not easy. Every part of her wants to do something else, something opposite. Her parent makes boundaries and expects her to stay within those confines. “Take my yoke” Wear this weight which will constrain you, which will make you go where I want you to.
“Learn from me. Do it like this. Watch me, follow my instruction.” But the child wants to do it her own way. She thinks to herself: I can decide for myself where to go and how to live. I don’t need somebody to show me.
My heavenly Parent created me. He gave me a contrariness that’s not necessarily always a bad thing. If I’m prepared to accept His yoke upon my contrariness I would find that He will, with a gentle and humble heart, guide that most unruly trait into acts of service for Him.
And if I put aside my own will, my own striving, and ‘learn’ His ways, I would find a soul-rest that cancels out every need to be the author of my own destiny.
Prayer of Response:
“Thank you Lord Jesus for gently, lovingly, instructing me to “Do as I do”. The yoke may be constraining at times, the lessons hard to grasp. But we are not alone. You are our guide and teacher. Bring me home, Amen”
—Submitted by Hetty Stok (Featured in photo above!)
Hetty lives with her husband Pieter in Geelong, Australia. She enjoys playing in the backyard with her grandkids, and (when possible) travelling to Norway and Spain; and anywhere else in-between. She attended the Lifesprings Lyon Retreat in France last year.
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