An Exact Fit

Matthew 11:25-30 

25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
 

A yoke is a horizontal wooden bar that is laid on the necks of oxen when they are harnessed to the plow or maybe to a cart. The Jewish community knew the yoke of Torah (the Old Testament law) when they submitted to the authority of the Lord. Again and again in the Old Testament, the yoke is a symbol of authority and taking a yoke upon us, a symbol of submitting to that authority.

But Jesus offers a different view of this image. I imagine Jesus working in his father’s carpentry shop before his ministry began. Together with Joseph, I imagine they made a few yokes for the local farmers over the years.  

A farmer comes to the shop and asks for a new yoke for his beasts of burden. To make sure the proper tool is crafted, the farmer brings the animals with him. He waits patiently under an olive tree until Jesus the carpenter takes the time to approach the animals slowly and gently, so as not to startle them. He carefully measures them – their height, their width, the space between them, the size of their shoulders. He works very slowly and carefully, taking his time until he is satisfied that he knows the animals well – knows where their strengths are – and where they might be vulnerable to pressure or too much weight. Then Jesus tells the man to return with his oxen in a week or so.

When the man returns, Jesus again approaches the oxen slowly and quietly. They have learned in such a short time to trust this gentle man. So, the animals allow Jesus to place the new yoke over their shoulders. He checks carefully for any roughness that might chafe or rub. Removing the yoke, he smooths out the edges. Again, he takes his time. It’s essential that the yoke fit perfectly if this team is to be able to do its work well. And so, when he is done, the yoke is an exact fit for this particular team of oxen.

Jesus invites us to come to him to find rest. But it seems a rather odd notion of rest, doesn’t it? He wants us to wear a yoke on our shoulders. Oh, he assures us that his yoke is easy. Yet somehow, the idea of wearing a yoke doesn’t sound all that easy to me. But if we look at the Greek word for “easy,” we find that it can also mean “well-fitting.”

When I think about something that fits well, I think of things like a comfortable pair of shoes, or a tailor-made suit. I think about harmonies that blend so delicately when a small group sings in perfect harmony. I think about the intricate balance of life on this planet, with everything created to fit in a particular place, in a particular way. I think about how God made each one of us, knitting us in our mothers’ wombs…making us to God’s exact specifications.

That is the fit Jesus is offering to you and to me.  
 

Let us Pray: 

Dear God, fit us for your service. We thank you that the ministry to which you call us yokes us together with your Son, Jesus Christ. Bless us in our service to you and to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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