ACCEPTING CHRIST’S CALL

Part 10 of my story

Every time I want to carry on and tell you the next part of my story something else, more important, comes up that needs to be told. This time, it’s the influence Matthew 11:28-30 had on my life. There’s a good reason why I shared those verses so eagerly with the group that was gathered at Sacred Space.

In case you’d like to read them again, I include them here:

“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.”

When I began my journey with Christ, this invitation from Him gave me such comfort. I had dealt for many years with depression, hypomania, and psychosis. How welcome it was then to read these words—to know I didn’t have to be alone with the struggles anymore, to be offered rest from the strain that I had lived under. While I was weary, feeling lost and needing more than the world could offer, Jesus Himself humbly bent down to me and lovingly called me to Himself.

With my youthful spirit of those early years of my faith, I accepted His call, responding with joyful obedience. I could do nothing less. He had captured my heart.

Jesus’ invitation to accept His yoke lit a flame within me, a desire to learn from Him, a desire to join Him in the work He was doing in the world. Jesus promised the work wouldn’t be heavy. He promised to be right beside me to help me carry it. I wanted to serve and needed rest for my soul as well. Jesus assured me I would have both.

What does Jesus expect from us?

He wants us to take His “yoke” upon us. A yoke is a wooden contraption that is placed over the shoulder of an ox so that it can pull a weight. In Jewish teaching a yoke represents the obligations a person must take upon himself.

As a rabbi, Jesus was a radical, bringing a new interpretation of scripture and a revolutionary kind of thinking. To take on Jesus’ yoke is to follow his way of thinking and to follow his example and teaching. Jesus’ call is a call to discipleship—to follow Him and learn from Him. To accept the obligations He places on us. Yes, Jesus places a burden on us. But He helps us to carry it and it is lighter than the burden sin lays upon us.

Some of the qualities of His character that most endear Jesus to me are His humility, gentleness, and servanthood. I’m reminded of that humility in Philippians 2:7-8:

…he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

During my Living Room days, I shared the following with my group:

“How those verses make me want to kneel before Jesus! How I want to worship Him! Although I’ll never be able to do what He did for me, He gave me an example of obedience that I want to follow.”

Jesus said, “Come to me.” I came to Him and He gave my soul rest.

It has been many years since Jesus’ words from Matthew spoke to me in such a strong and clear way. But they dug themselves deep into my heart and mind during this critical time of growth for me. Today, the words may not necessarily come to mind, but I have been living according to their message—through good times and bad. They have helped shape me into the person I am today—a person who loves to share Christ’s encouragement with those who need Him.

Have you thought of responding to Christ’s call?

“Come to me,” He said. If you do, He promises a wonderful journey, with Him close beside you.

I know it’s wonderful because I’ve been on such a journey. The road is not always smooth. In fact, it can be extremely rough at times. We might suffer, but when we serve there’s joy in that suffering. I could not imagine a more meaningful life.

marja