Defining the Light and the Word

There is a certain calmness and assuredness that sweeps over man when He acknowledges the presence of God in his life. Today, I was touched to read Matthew chapters 11 and 12, and most specifically to share these words from Matthew chapter 11:

28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

In an earlier post from 2008, I spoke of the importance of challenging translations. Or at least seeking out varied translations to better inform one's understanding of the Bible. In these verses, it's worthy of noting the Contemporary English Version's use of footnotes to help define the word "yoke" as "a device put on the necks of animals, so they could pull a plow or wagon. A yoke was a symbol of obedience and hard work." For the longest time I used to think that "yoke" was "yolk" because as a child, I would often hear people say things like God is "breaking the yolk." That seemed to make sense since when you crack open an egg and pour into a bowl, the yolk often often remains intact. It takes a deliberate act to break the yolk. However, the word is "yoke," not "yolk."

With this newfound understanding, verse 29 has new meaning. Here, it seems God is saying to let go of the burdens of this world, and instead take upon the burdens of heaven or God. But of course, God is omnipotent, so whatever burden God carries is light like a feather. That's one way to look at it. The other way is to say that we should let go of the burdens of the world (again) and instead accept those burdens that God chooses to give us. Note that God does not say that things would be carefree, but that they would be easy compared to what we endure now.