Issue 065
Sometimes it hits you on a Monday morning. For some people, it hits every morning. For others, it’s worst just after lunch or mid-afternoon. For still others, it hits early evening as they sit in front of the TV.
Some people say it gets worse as you grow older and your body is less able to cope. There are some people who feel it all the time.
I am talking about tiredness. I have a few friends who, whenever we speak on the phone, always answer the “how are you?” question with, “tired”. With these friends we have agreed to skip that reply and assume it so that we can get to the next answer.
We live in a world of ever increasing demands. The world is infected with hurry sickness, where everything should be done quickly, by a deadline, or yesterday. The human race is now run at such a pace that the competitors are falling down exhausted and injured. We turn to caffeine, ginseng, alcohol and high energy drinks to fuel our desire to keep up, but we find ourselves cracking up.
It is no accident that when Jesus addressed this problem, he drew an image from his own work. It is one of the very rare occasions when he did so. To those who are weary and weighed down He made three offers: “Come to me” – an invitation to go to the source of all energy, strength and power, “take My yoke” – an invitation to walk step-by-step in step with him and go at the right pace, “and learn from me” – an invitation to live a lifestyle which builds up rather than cracks up our souls.
Now Jesus the carpenter would have made many yokes in his time – good ones that fitted well and did their jobs. So, with the carpenter’s confidence, he says, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Implicit in these invitations is a fourth – “walk with me”. Good carpenters design yokes with the wearer in mind. In his case, he designs yokes for us whom he also designed and made. He seems to be saying “slow down, you move too fast”. Perhaps he had a sign above his shop saying “my yokes fit well”. Perhaps He is offering to be our Pace-maker. Either way, it’s got to be a better way to live and work.
Matthew 11:28-30
28″Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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Work well
Geoff Shattock
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