The yoke is on me

I have been in a situation for awhile that I have not enjoyed for the last couple of years. I was pretty down about it last week, and was talking to, no I was really wining to God and about it. I was pretty down and discouraged. That’s how I started my day. I went to work and trudged out to see my customers trying to put on the best face I could to have some degree of success.

As I was driving to my first appointment my friend George called me. We don’t talk very often due to he lives in Bend and I in Portland. Not far, but it is a distance. He doesn’t say hello, he just starts to quote some verses from the bible to me. It was Matthew 11:28-30. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-31&version=NIV. The verse says come to me all you that are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The church I grew up in had a painting that took up the entire wall behind the choir loft that had a picture of Jesus and that verse below. I always think of that picture when I hear that verse. But George went on quoting the verses after that. It says” take my yoke upon you and learn from me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. George then explained that oxen had a yoke put on them in teams and the older stronger ox was put on the outside to carry most of the load to help teach the younger ox. They just walked in circles all day with the older stronger doing a lot of the work and the younger ox just trying to stay up. When you’re in a yoke you can’t fight and go your own way, it just doesn’t work. And you can’t do all the work yourself, you’re not strong enough.

I asked him what made him call me. He said I thought of you and another guy. I called the other guy but he didn’t answer so I called you. I am so thankful that he did. Those verses have been running through my head for a week now. I know on an immediate level that I need to trust God bring my worries and concerns to him. I confess that I’m struggling with that. However like the younger ox, I’m learning and getting stronger.