YOKE

A yoke is a wooden beam used to unite two animals in carrying a load. We usually hear this term with oxen. A yoke of oxen is a pair working together to pull a load.

As Christians we have also heard this word in another context. It is important that we are not "unequally yoked", as Paul instructs in his letter to the Corinthians. I am afriad that we may have lost the true definition of this word.

I am sure there is a significant Hebrew meaning and parallel which would bring great wisdom. Mine is not very deep, but I do think that it is good.

When we are taught to be equally yoked, that does not just mean that we should only be in relationship with other believers. Yes, you should be in relationship with a believer, for what does light and darkness have in common? But not JUST that. Having a yoke between you is sharing the same burden. The two oxen pull together the load they are united with.

I don't think we are to just be in relationship with any believer, but with a believer who is pulling the same amount as you are. You may be called to different areas of ministry, or maybe the same area. The beauty in the yoke is that you are equally as passionate about the weight of what you are carrying. You work together to make the biggest impact in ministry. The load might also be considered a burden. Not in a negative sense, but instead in a most beautiful one. That you and your partner would have an equal burden for the things of the Kingdom to be known, and a burden for the sins of the people and the brokenness in our world.

If two oxen were united under one yoke, but only one was doing the work, it would be an uneven load. To work effectively for the Kingdom in our relationships I think that we must have an equal passion and desire to work together for the One who brought us together. How much more incredible when your burden for the lost is equally strong, and your passion for moving hearts is one in the same? There is a remarkable work to be done by couples in ministry.

Proverbs 3:6

 “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:6

way

¹    [wey]  Show IPA

noun

1.

manner, mode, or fashion: a new way of looking at a matter;to reply in a polite way.

2.

characteristic or habitual manner: Her way is to work quietlyand never complain.

3.

a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal: to find a wayto reduce costs.

4.

a respect or particular: The plan is defective in several ways.

5.

a direction or vicinity: Look this way. We're having a droughtout our way.

ac·knowl·edge

   [ak-nol-ij]  Show IPA

verb (used with object), ac·knowl·edged, ac·knowl·edg·ing.

1.

to admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth,or fact of: to acknowledge one's mistakes.

2.

to show or express recognition or realization of: toacknowledge an acquaintance by nodding.

3.

to recognize the authority, validity, or claims of: The studentsacknowledged the authority of the student council.

4.

to show or express appreciation or gratitude for: toacknowledge a favor.

5.

to indicate or make known the receipt of: to acknowledge aletter.

di·rect

   [dih-rekt, dahy-]  Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1.

to manage or guide by advice, helpful information,instruction, etc.: He directed the company through a difficulttime.

2.

to regulate the course of; control: History is directed by asmall number of great men and women.

3.

to administer; manage; supervise: She directs the affairs of theestate.

4.

to give authoritative instructions to; command; order orordain: I directed him to leave the room.

In all your ways (manner, characteristics, methods, plans, respects, directions) acknowledge (recognize, appreciate, make known) HIM and He shall direct (manager, administer, instruct, control) your paths.

Where YOU Go

His love is excessive.  It goes beyond all I can imagine or understand…

The Lord is kind enough to teach us through His WORD, and I LOVE how that Word is living and active. Each time I read it, I learn something new or see new application. Sometimes it’s a mind lesson, other times it’s a heart lesson. Either way, I am captured by His LOVE and His voice.

John 12:26 – Where Jesus is, so His servants must be.

Not just His disciples when He was here on earth, but even still today. Where His presence is, we must be. How do we do that? Gal 5:25, keep in step with the Spirit. We must listen to His guidance. He will lead us beside still waters, or He may lead us out into the wilderness. He will bring us where we see Him and depend on Him most. Isaiah 63:9 – HIS presence SAVES us. No matter where we are. He carries us.

Like Moses, if God’s presence doesn’t go before us – I don’t want to go. [Ex 33:15]

Deuteronomy 1:31 “in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Every part of this verse is ministering to me. He lead me to the desert – Hosea 2:14, and He spoke tenderly to me there. Sometimes we cannot hear God’s voice because of all the other voices in our lives. There are times when it seems He just wants time with you, and that might mean taking other people away so we can hear Him more clearly and just be with Him. He carries us then, until we reach THIS PLACE… of peace, and of His presence, surrounded by His love and listening to His tender voice.

Isaiah 43:1 – Fear not [No matter where you are] Fear not, for HE HAS REDEEMED YOU. He summoned YOU by name; YOU ARE HIS. Precious and honored in His sight. (vs 4). 

Records

Oh – lessons learned the hard way.

The other day I was meeting my dear friend Hannah for tea at Teavana. When we were checking out I told the assistant that the orders were together. Hannah tried to argue with me, but I reminded her that the last time we were at the mall together she insisted on buying me a coffee mug from Anthropologie (which I love – see picture).  

She laughed and said I was a grudge holder… keeping records of rights.

I love this.

I don’t always remember all of the wonderful things that people do for me, and I wish I did. I wish I kept better records of all the rights than I do of all the wrongs. Situations in life often pull us in unfriendly directions, or position us between two friends on opposing sides of a situation. These are not fun places to be, but they are inevitable in this broken world full of broken people (me included). When I sit long enough to think about my position, and to seek wisdom from the Word about how to handle situations like these, I usually end up at this verse: Luke 23:34 – When Jesus had been tortured – spit on – beaten – shamed (which is what we deserved) He says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” This verse is staggering to me. How can we comprehend so much love and mercy? There is so much truth in Jesus’ words from the cross, and it speaks into the daily lives of His children. Those crucifying our Lord did not know that He was the King of kings. Truthfully they did not know what they were doing. You may be thinking that the person who has wronged you DID know EXACTLY what they were doing, and you may be absolutely correct. Sometimes our hurts come from someone’s malicious intent to cause pain. Sometimes they come from an innocent remark that was taken the wrong way, or miscommunication of some sort. We hurt in all different ways, but the people who are hurting us are usually only acting this way because they too are hurting. We live in a broken world, full of broken people. We hurt others and are hurt by others. It’s not the way we want to live, but it is reality. 

So how do we live as Christ in the midst of this pain? He commands us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER just as HE has loved us[Jn 13:34], and to LOVE ONE ANOTHER more than we love ourselves [Mt 22:39]. Then He tells us through Paul’s letter that LOVE keeps no records of wrongs [1 Cor 13:5]. 

I don’t know if there is truly a way to forgive and forget. But a record of something is more than just a memory:

re·cord

verb (used with object)

1. To set down in writing or the like, as for the purpose of preserving evidence.

A record of wrongs, therefore, seems to be something we keep in order to remind someone (or ourselves) of what they have done to us. It’s not healthy for us to keep this inside, and it serves no good to bring it up again to the one(s) who hurt you. We don’t need evidence of sin – we have it everywhere we look… What we need evidence of is LOVE. What if we kept a record of rights and continually thought about, talked about, dwelled on all of the GOOD things that have been done to/for us? It may seem like an impossible notion, but it certainly would make for a more peaceful heart.

When we pray for this broken world, we have to remember (me included) that WE ALL are broken and in need of healing. To pray for God to give us clean hearts, pure hands, innocent minds, and the ability to remember love and not pain. It starts with me. and you. 

Fear Not

A few days ago I went to a church function with my dear friend and her five children. Her youngest is five years old, and as we were standing in line to get dinner someone gave him a little bracelet making kit, you know the church kind... beads and a cross. My five year old friend quickly made the bracelet, and later in the evening he put it on my wrist. I asked him what the beads said, and he said, "Fear Not". I asked him why I didn't have to be afraid, and he pointed to the cross on the bracelet and said, "Because Jesus died and rose again, so you don't have to be afraid anymore!" TRUTH.
Jesus died and rose again, and now you don't have to be afraid. This sweet bracelet has been a reminder to me over the last week. Several days I actually wore the bracelet to work. It made for an interesting conversation starter, it seems many adults would like to be on the receiving end of this same jewelry making kit. FEAR NOT. It is a reminder we could all use.

The Bible says it like this:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Tim 1:7

Many times our fear is not of evil necessarily - but instead of failure, of being alone, of not being accepted, of not ever accomplishing anything. We have many fears... yes, even believers. The Bible tells us not to, and we know the verses.... if our God is for us, who could stand against us?

Tomorrow I am doing something that has the ability to scare me. I wore that bracelet this week to remind me when I felt the tendency to let fear in, to stand firm. The cross, those words, and sweet wisdom from a five year old has kept me right where I need to be.

Has God opened a door for you that you have no confidence to walk through? Is insecurity holding you back from the ministry God is calling you to?

The LORD will be at your side and will keep you from your snare. Proverbs 3:26

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. Jer 17:7

Let His strength be what gets you through. You can trust Him. He is good, and you have nothing to fear.