In Mark 10:46-52 we see Bartimaeus crying out in the midst of the crowd, trying to get Jesus' attention. When the crowd tells him to be quiet it says ...but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" What that means is, he didn't stay silent, he didn't go quiet, he yelled even louder. His desire for relief from "his' burden refused to stay away any longer. He was pressing in!
Another scene that comes to mind is found in Mark 5:25-34 and it is the account of the woman with the issue of blood. Her burden? ...'Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all she had and was no better, rather she grew worse.' Sounds to me like a heavy burden! She had suffered for twelve years doing all she could to no avail. She came to Jesus to find relief, to find rest from 'her' burden. She, like Bartimaeus, pressed in. She didn't let the rules, traditions, or even the crowd of people stop her coming to Jesus. She pushed, shoved and pressed her way through the crowd till she could reach out and touch the hem of his garment. She refused to be heavy laden with her burden any longer. She pressed in!
How about the leper in Mark 1:40-44 who it says ...came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If you are willing, You can make me clean." His desire for relief from 'his' burden caused him to press in and to come to Jesus even though he was supposed to keep his distance! What about the four friends that broke through a roof in order to put their friend in front of Jesus. They pressed in when they couldn't get through the crowd.
Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden light." If your feeling like you have been carrying 'your' burden and are tired of being heavily laden by it, press in to Him! Bring it to Him. He will give you rest!
First He says to come to Him and then Jesus gives an explanation as to how to receive His rest. He said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden light." The key to being in that place of resting in Him is the yoke. The word yoke in the Strong's means - to join especially by a yoke, a coupling. A yoke links and joins you together so that you are working together for one purpose. It puts you on the same path going in the same direction. It causes you to share the load. He said, "Take My yoke and learn from Me." That simply means you link up with Him, you follow His lead and allow Him to help shoulder the weight of the load your hauling with His word.
We can be yoked to whatever causes us to labor and feel heavy laden or we can come to Him; yoke up with Him and find rest in Him. In Isaiah 40:31 it says ...But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with eagles wings, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. The key word here is the word wait, and it means - to bind together (perhaps by twisting). So, Old Testament, New Testament, bind, attach, yoke; it all means the same thing. Link yourself up with Him! His yoke is easy. It means binding yourself up in Him. You know, it means loving Him enough to walk with Him.
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