Rest, Not Leisure

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Mt 11:29 AV)

At first, this seems to be a paradox.  How can an ox have rest of soul when yoked to another while plowing a field?  Wouldn’t he be must more restful if he was in the pasture, grazing at his content?  Maybe.  For the ox is a mere animal.  He has no soul.  But you and I are different.  We need that yoke in order to enjoy a rest of the soul.  We need the burden upon our necks in order to know that God is who He claims to be.  That yoke is the very thing that gives the rest of soul which we seek.

The yoke represents restrain and purpose.  The yoke restrains the liberty of the ox and keeps him headed in the direction of the master.  The labor he does is the very thing that will save his life.  He plows that the fields might be sown and harvested.  That harvest, in turn, is what feeds the ox.  If the ox was free to wander, he may starve to death.   But the practice of domestication offers him a safe haven of refuge and plenty of food to eat.  This yoke is also a yoke of purpose.  No other domesticated animal can plow like a team of oxen.  Horses can plow, but they often plow alone.  They are not team players when it comes to plowing.  They also must fight the urge to bolt.  Oxen, on the other hand, are created for plowing.  That yoke is unique to their purpose.

Rest does not come from having a leisurely life.  Rest for the soul does not come by catering to the flesh.  Rest for the soul comes when we accept and utilize our yoke.  We find our purpose and stay within the confines of God’s plan.  Then we can have that precious rest of the soul for which we deeply crave.