The Peace Given by our Lord
Mat 11:28-30 NLT - [28] Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."
Our Lord not only promises salvation, but peace. For it is written that “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it” (John 3.17). If our Lord intends to save us, He certainly means to grant us peace eternal. He proclaims this in Saint Matthew 11 when he dares those in need of rest to “come to [Him], all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and [He] will give you rest.” Jesus’ promise is not only a promise of eternal security, but of an everlasting peace that ought to overwhelm us. He confirms this by imploring us to “take [His] yoke upon [ourselves].” Normally a yoke holds an animal into the reigns of its master. It bears down on the animal and leads it in the path its master wishes. But what does our Lord’s yoke do? It lightens us. It directs us in the paths of righteousness and favor with the Lord. Christ explains that “[his] yoke fits perfectly, and the burden [he gives] us is light.”
The paradox of a light burden and a freeing yoke are indicative of the perplexity of our Lord’s reign on our lives. Peace in the midst of a chaotic world appears a wishful and fruitless dream, but it is so through the Holy Spirit’s power. Jesus promises us that, if we follow Him, “[we] will find rest for [our] souls.” The rest of God cannot be oversold. The subtle yet powerful sustenance we are given by Jesus each day delineates the power of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives.
Christ’s yoke and burden are easy and light. Will you accept the peace of our Lord? Recall it each day, for it is most needed each day. There is never a time where peace cannot help us. Let Jesus’ peace sustain you today, tomorrow, and forever more into eternity. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Austin Aldrich
