Words of Grace 8-19

By Rev. Mahlon Nevel

In his book, casting your cares, Sterling Walsh writes about his family living near the Amish country in Lancaster County. It was not unusual to see the Amish farmers in their fields as they plowed with teams of horses.

Around the necks of the horses are what are called yolks. The yolks are connected to the harness, and the harness is connected to the plow they are pulling. The horses work in pairs to share the load.

Jesus said to those with heavy burdens, “Take my yoke upon you… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29, 30).

Walsh observes that we are too often burdened down because we are trying to pull the whole load ourselves.

When we take upon ourself the yoke of Jesus, it is then that we become connected to him.

When we are yoked up with Jesus, we are sharing the load together with him, and he is pulling the load with us. Actually, he is pulling most of the load, if not all of the load.

We are not made to carry our burdens. They are too heavy for us, and we will fall beneath the load.

“Cast (or throw) your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).