by Mick Lockwood, of Hall Green, Haworth

Have you received an invitation recently? Well here’s one from Jesus:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

He is inviting us to go directly to himself. To trust him personally.

He puts our minds at ease by insisting he is approachable because of his gentleness and humility. His invitation is not only to come to him, but to take on his yoke. A yoke is a wooden frame which joins two animals together to enable them to pull a heavy load. The expression was used in Jesus’ day to describe the burden people would accept to follow their religion faithfully. It was often, as it still is, a heavy burden. Jesus invites us to take on his easy yoke with its light burden.

Is Jesus saying then that following him is just an easier option than keeping a long list of rules and traditions? I don’t think so. He taught us that the very best religious efforts of any person are not sufficient for us to be found “not guilty” before God.

It’s just that Jesus insisted he would live his perfect life on our behalf and would personally pay the full price we owe to God by dying for us. He’s taken our burden for us. All that is left for us to do is to go to him and put on his yoke, and of course love him.