Gentle and Humble

In my quiet time, if I make it past the first sentence, which is not all that often to tell you the truth...there is more food for my soul.

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 in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

We are resting, with purpose. It’s a thing! We rest because there is more to consider.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…

As I rest, I can learn. I have things that need learning. I am not in charge. But that’s more than ok, because Jesus has promised to walk beside me, yoked. The image is interesting. I close my eyes and imagine it. Jesus is the lead and properly yoked I can stay in alignment with him. I assume this means that days when I decide to be stubborn and stand my ground, Jesus might continue to walk and I will need to follow. The yoke provides me necessary limits - a safety measure for my stubborn tendencies to drift off course.

...for I am gentle and humble in heart…

Wherever he leads, whatever he teaches, it comes from a place of gentleness and humility. Yoked to him, this will need to be my value proposition too. Ok, I breathe. I can follow this way.

...and you will find rest for your souls.

Often my body is screaming so loud for what it wants, my soul’s quiet longing for what I truly need is drowned out. No matter what else I will learn from this God/Man, it will include rest for my soul. My tight chest loosens. My breath slows. My spirit calms.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Baby, you will never be asked to do the heavy lifting. That is a Jesus thing. May you find rest for your soul today; may your body cooperate with this refreshment!