[Darris McNeely] Several years ago, on a trip to Africa, I looked out the back window of the house I was staying in, and I saw a farmer plowing in the field. And he had two oxen yoked by a wooden, old-time fashioned yoke to a hand-plow that he was working behind the two oxen. Now. you don't see too many scenes like that anymore today.

But it brought to mind a Scripture, Matthew Chapter 11, where Jesus said this about taking on a yoke. He said, Matthew 11:28, "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." And then He concludes, "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

When you understand this from watching two animals, two horses or two oxen, yoked together to pull a plow to turn the sod of a field, you begin to understand what Jesus is saying here. That yoke brings together the power of two animals to accomplish a job. What Jesus is saying is that we are to be yoked with Him. He says, "Take My yoke upon you." In other words, we are yoked together, we're joined together with Christ. And when we are, He says, "The yoke is easy," we will find rest for our souls. And when we labor and are burdened, that makes it easier. But we have to allow ourselves to be yoked together in a relationship with Jesus Christ, and He shares that with us.

That's the beauty of understanding, how we deal with trials and suffering, and some of the burdens that either we put on ourselves through sin, or maybe put upon ourselves by circumstances beyond our control, culture, other people, and we have to deal with that. Christ said, "Take My yoke," He's there, He is with us. We can work together, and it will be easier. And we will get to the end of the row, we will get the job done. We may have to go further through the trial, but it will be easier because we're yoked with Christ, and He will share that burden with us.

That's the big lesson to learn from that Scripture. And, as so many other examples that are taken from nature, that's what He meant. Let yourselves be yoked together with Jesus Christ.

That's BT Daily, join us next time.