Don’t Take My Yolk Buddy

Yo, don’t take my yolk. Seriously. Don’t. I mean it. Don’t take it. It’s sticky, yucky. Yummy, too. You know how yolk is. You don’t need it. You know how yolk goes. You know what I mean. Don’t you? No, I’m not talking about the yolk of the eggs I cook up every day for paralyzed Mr. Simeon. He loves scrambled eggs. Not fried. Scrambled, mind you. Plenty of yolks in my house. Not talking about them. Not mine. Not yours. Don’t take yours either. No yolks. No yokes. Oops. You caught me. Spelling issue there. Huh? Not. I was kidding. Sort of. I am serious about not taking my yolk. Don’t take my YOKE! What’s up? I’ve got you totally confused, right? But I’ve got your attention………..

Do you know what my favorite prayer for myself is right now? Nope. You don’t. But I’ll let you in on it. I love being transparent. I love sharing my life with you not because I need you to know about me. But because I want you to know about Him. The big HIM. About the Lord. And how He lives in me, how He continues to transform me, and how He lives through me. So let me let you in on my heart – and my prayer.

“Lord, I break off the yoke from the world. And I take your yoke.”

Yeah, so much for the yolk. Let’s get to the YOKE! Are you a little curious about my prayer? I’ll bet. You must be. It’s a little unusual, ain’t it? Yep.

See, I’ve spent most of my 45 years being yoked to the world. Attached. Connected. Like I’ve had an umbilical cord. And that cord has been so wrapped around my neck, so wrapped around my heart, so wrapped around life. I almost couldn’t breathe. It was choking me, strangling me, just about killing me. Why? I have been so attached to the world, to the world’s way of doing things, to the world’s timing of doing things, to the world’s anything and everything.

I have so desperately sought the love, the approval, the validation, the acceptance, the “okay” from the world, that I was bowed down to it. I was submitted, yielded, surrendered to the world. I was living for the world. And I was dying for the world. Because who is the prince of this world, according to the Bible? The devil! It was unbearable, but it wasn’t just that. I couldn’t let go. I was so yoked to it, and the world was so yoked to me, that I just couldn’t part with it. I thought it was my life blood. But it wasn’t. My life comes from the blood of Jesus Christ.

Ever heard of the “fear of man”? Well, the Bible calls us to have a fear of the Lord, not a fear of man. But I was so worried about what the world thought about me, what the world did about me, what the world did to me. If you don’t think you know what I’m talking about, look in the mirror and see if you can relate – at all. Maybe? Perhaps just a wee bit? If you don’t understand this “world” deal, think of it this way.

Are you more concerned with humans, or more concerned with the LORD? Do you care more about what people think about you, or what God thinks about you? Do you live for the approval of people, or do you care more about what God thinks about your life? Who matters most? Really? Or have you not thought about it? Look at your life. Pray about it. Get real about it. Be honest.

It’s funny. Or not. Lots of people know the scripture in the Bible about coming to Jesus Christ for REST, and about being YOKED to Him. But I wonder how many have really considered this being YOKED deal? And I wonder how many have considered that if we’re being invited to be yoked to Him, what must we now be yoked to? Not Him, right? I mean if we’re not yoked to Him, who the heck are we yoked to? Just take a look at your life. I have. Wow. What an eye opener. What a wake-up call. What a this-just-isn’t-working AWAKENING.

So what are you yoked to now? Or to whom are you yoked? Uh oh. Hurts a little. I know. Me too. I know what you’re thinking. Ouch. Yikes. Mmm. Uh oh. More. Yep. Me, too. I’ve been yoked to lots and lots of stuff, and lots of lots of people. Yoked to the world. Yoked to the world’s ways. And those ways just aren’t God’s. His ways are always best, always highest. His ways are not the world’s ways. Not even close. And yet, when given the invitation to come to Jesus to be yoked to Him, what do we do? Toss it off as another cutesy Bible verse that everyone has run across at one time or another in their lives? That’s what I did, most of the time. I just didn’t get it – until my life got messed up enough that I had to get it or else.

So is Jesus’ invitation just a cutesy Bible verse, or do we take Him seriously?

Seriously? Yes. His invitation is serious. Have you RSVP’d yet? Are you still hanging on for dear life to the world? I’ll tell you where that will end. Better yet, let the Bible tell you. The world is going downhill – fast. And if I’m yoked to the world, guess where I’m going…………

You know, I’ve spent most of my life yoked to the world. I don’t want that anymore. No more world’s yoke for me. Will it be easy letting go, saying goodbye, and not going back? Heck no. But I’m bound and determined to take the yoke I am being offered.

HIS.

And may I live this new life, this life yoked to Jesus, for the glory of God!

RSVP? Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Jesus, yes! I want YOUR yoke. I take it now. I take it. I thank you! And I praise you, Lord, for your YOKE! Thank you for offering it to me. Forgive me, Lord, for holding on for so long, for dear life, to the world. I don’t want the world. I want YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you Lord! 

Please, Lord, draw the world to you. Draw those reading this now to you. Draw them, draw them. Move in their hearts, change their minds, lead them to your feet. Bring them to their hands, their knees, their faces. Bring them to you. Bring them to surrender. Your anointing breaks the YOKE of bondage. Break the bondage-s in their lives. Bring them to be yoked to you. 

Create in them a hunger for you. A thirst for you. Lead them to your living waters. They are tired. They are weary. Their hands and hearts are rubbed raw from hanging onto the world. They are so weary. Bring them into your rest. Oh, yes, Lord, yes. Please. In the name of Jesus. Amen. Glory to your name, Lord! To your name! Your name, Lord. Bring them to you, Lord. Please. Amen. Again. 


Mat 11:28  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Mat 11:29  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. 
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Gal_5:1  “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”