The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge
Matthew 11:30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The month of May has 23 working days in it (Monday through Friday). Coincidentally there are at least 23 unconditional promises given in the New Testament. Let’s visit them together this m0nth.
An unconditional promise is one that has no conditions attached to it. For example, Romans 1o:13 states: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is a tremendous promise of God’s Word, yet it is not an unconditional promise. It has a condition attached; a person must meet the condition in order to obtain the promise. The condition is: call upon the name of the Lord; the promise is: shall be saved.
In contrast, today’s verse of Matthew 11:30 states a promise to which there is no condition. Jesus said that His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. True, in the verses just before this the Lord extended two invitations. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. That is a promise with a condition. The second invitation is: 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. Again, herein is a promise with a condition attached. Any person can find rest for their souls if they would simply take the Lord’s yoke upon them and learn of Him.
Yet, the last verse, today’s verse is a promise with no condition attached. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. The promise is not conditional upon a person taking His yoke or carrying His burden. It is a promise based in fact, truth, and reality. For all who have come to Him, who have taken His yoke upon them, have learned this to be true. Once they were laboring, carrying a heavy load of sin, guilt, shame, and fear of eternity. But they came to Jesus and found rest for their souls. The yoke of sin was heavy upon them, their burden was continual darkness, even in the bright of day, but they took upon them His yoke and found rest. Yes, they are still in a yoke and still have a burden. But it is not their yoke or burden it is Christ’s, and it is easy and light.
The unconditional promise for today is: the yoke of the Lord Jesus Christ is easy and His burden is light. For, after all, it is He that is in the yoke with us, it is His light burden we carry. To over spiritualize it, if you will, we carry His Light to the dark and unknowing world. No longer do we carry, pull around, or transport the heavy burden of sin, but rather we carry, pull around, and transport His Light. Of which light there is no weight, it is easy.
The Bible Edge for today is that His yoke is easy, put it on and keep it on. For His burden is light.
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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