Secrets from the Treadmill by Pete Briscoe

Author:Pete Briscoe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2010-09-08T00:00:00+00:00

The Rest of the Gospel

Sharing a yoke is unlike a three-legged race. I remember those relays at family picnics or youth camp, the awkwardness, the discomfort, and the deep desire to be free of the awkward ten-year-old strapped to my calf. Sharing a yoke is not an added burden, but a burden relieved. It is a friend helping you move your piano, a sister listening to your story, a small-group member bringing you dinner; it is the Lord walking with you through life. Jesus employs the imagery of the yoke and reverts to the original meaning of the word to paint a picture of the Christian life:

“Take my yoke upon you.” Jesus is not offering the yoke of the law, neither is He offering a life free from constraints. Jesus is offering to share life with us, thus making it easier, more pleasant, efficient, and successful. When Jesus uses the word yoke, it is a metaphor for discipleship, you voluntarily strapping yourself to Him.

“. . . and learn from me.” The word learn is mathete, taken from the root word manthano, which means “to learn from experience.” One derivation of this word is mathates, translated as disciple in our English Bibles.

In the fields, when smart farmers coupled a wild ox with a well-tamed ox, the wild one, confined, constrained, and trained, became tame too. When Jesus says, “Come to Me,” this is the life to which He is calling us. We are the wild ones, yoked to the perfect One, confined, constrained, and trained to live this abundant life, to find rest. Jesus promises this calming of the soul to those who volunteer for the yoking.

“For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” This is a direct quote from Jeremiah 6:16: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls’” (italics added). The good way, the ancient way is fulfilled in Jesus. Walking with Him is where rest is found. And you will find rest. It simply happens, as we walk in a close, intimate gait with Jesus. Our weariness leaves, our burden is lifted, and rest creeps into our souls.

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Easy probably isn’t the best translation of the original word chrestos. Other translations include “kindly,” “good,” “comfortable,” and “well-fitting.” The life of discipleship isn’t necessarily easy, but being yoked to Jesus makes the difficult aspects of life easier than they would be if walking alone through pain.

When He says the burden He carries with us is light, He is reminding us that He calls us not to oppressive, external commands, but instead to loyalty to a person. Here is the offer Jesus makes:You can live the rest of your life under the burden of the law, rules, trying and hoping, or you can come to Me, receive My gift, align yourself with Me and learn.

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