PrintThe Yoke Principle (3)
Jesus' invitation to take His yoke upon me has become increasingly precious as I have meditated upon its implications. But what am I to do with the call of Jesus (recorded in the previous chapter - Matt.10) to "take up my cross" and follow Him?
What is the relationship, if any, between "my cross" and "His yoke"? Can I do both? If so, can I do both at the same time? I've got to say that the call to take up my cross is far less appealing than the invitation to take on His yoke!
My cross…His Yoke. I think it's significant that Jesus doesn't call me to take up His cross. His cross was unique. Only He could carry it. Through His cross He, as the Lamb of God, took away the sins of the world. Similarly, just as I can't carry Jesus' cross, He cannot carry mine – whatever my cross may be.
Looking at that context in Matthew 10, the call is obviously a call to deny myself in how I live life. Luke (chp.9) adds the word 'daily' to this call to take up one's cross. Each day I am to make the decision to live a life that refuses to put myself first.
There is something very lonely about taking up one's cross. You can only fit one person on a cross. This is my decision and mine alone. Jesus can call me to do it but the decision finally rests with me. He can't decide for me and He can't carry my cross for me.
BUT (!) now Jesus calls me to take His yoke, not mine. And there is something almost 'companionable' about His yoke. In the same way that it would be foolish to try and fit two victims on one cross, it would be foolish not to have two animals in one yoke.
The cross seems to deal with my relationship with myself. The yoke seems to deal with my relationship with Jesus. There is a tension here that is delicate but important. I need both these realities if my life is to be healthily balanced.
