Tag Archives: yoke

Rest

Leave a reply

Last weekend Opening to the Sacred, the retreat ministry I share with a friend who is also a spiritual director, offered a retreat called Rest For Your Soul. We had a good group and it was a lovely day of exploring scripture, prayer, and reflection.                                                 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 11:28-29

My partner considered the nature of aspen trees.  A stand or grove of aspens grows from a single seed.  It the the root system that spreads and the trees multiply in this way.  We related that to our connectedness as people of God.                                                                       For as the days of a tree , so will be the days of my people.  Isaiah 65:22b

It was a quiet, wisdom-filled and restful day.

Moved by the sharing of ideas and thoughts about the Matthew text, I  wrote a poem

      YOKED yoke

I thought a yoke was limiting
But it depends on the "yokees"
Being yoked to Christ means freedom
   Trusting in loving guidance.
We are led in the Way designed for us
   Specially and lovingly for us
Not sent where we don't want to go
But in the direction we must go 
   to fulfill our destiny
         Our own path but side by side
With the One who knows us 
         better than we know ourselves.
I will take your yoke and I learn from you
         In gratitude and humility
                In Awe
                      In love

LOSS

Leave a reply

This last month was a time of loss. Beginning April 2 our congregation has mourned the loss and celebrated the lives of 4 members and the brother of one of our pastors. It was particularly hard to see the pain in those left behind.  April 3 was the one year anniversary of my own mother’s passing. I also have to say goodbye to friends moving away. The burden is heavy and  I recall the Scripture about the yoke.

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
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.’      Matt 11:28-30

yokeThe yoke ties us to Christ so that we are no longer working alone. The burden is lightened because we have help from one who understands. So it is with grief, we are not alone, our strength is increased by uniting with the Lord and our faith won’t let us fall, will keep us close, will help us carry the burden until the work is done.

So even as I feel the heaviness of sadness and loss, I feel the load lightened because I am not alone, I feel God’s presence holding me up, keeping me moving, and sharing my pain.