(Photo by Zelda Domingues and edited by Selma Komisky)

Bible Focus: Matthew 11:28-30 – Take My Yoke Upon You

By Zelda Dominguez

I had a friend who was extremely talented and skilled in various areas of her field. I was able to help her in some ways. Suddenly, she told me, “Hey, go into partnership with me!” She took off talking a mile a minute, explaining why it would be great. I said I needed to think and pray about this. She laughed and asked what my hesitation was. Were’nt we already working together? She thought it silly that I was so cautious.

Later while contemplating this, I thought of 2 Corinthians 6:14 which states, “Do not be equally yoked with unbelievers.”  Do you know what it means to be in an unequally yoked relationship?

Farmers would often yoke animals together with a wooden device called a yoke, either to carry heavy loads, or plow fields. Every farmer knew you didn’t yoke two animals of different sizes, kind, ability, or purpose. If they did, they’d have problems because one animal would dominate the other and pull them in the wrong direction.

As I evaluated things, she didn’t not seek the Lord, nor pray for His will. She relied on her own knowledge, experience, and skill. I feared going into a partnership because I would be bound to a person who did not have the same mind set, faith, vision, values, and life goals.

A partnership usually has a contractual agreement.

The difference between covenant and contract is when someone violates any of the agreements.  A covenant stays intact even if one of the parties breaks the agreement. However, if one of the contracting parties breaks the contract it becomes void. A covenant in the Bible is a theological agreement that generally results in a committed connection between God and His people.

God is a covenant-keeping God, and Christians should be covenant-keeping people. He made many covenants with His people. Regardless of how unfaithful people may be, God will never be unfaithful to His covenant promises.

The Bible talks about a partnership with God. He desires relationship and, since the beginning, God made covenants. But there came a time in the book of Judges that it says, “In those days, there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”In their minds, they were still believing they were in partnership with God. He had provided His law to follow, but they made their own rules according to what they thought was right. They refused to recognize God’s leadership over them. Proverbs 28:26 says, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.”They made up their own standards and disregarded God’s word.                                                        

They made their own religious system which included making idols. They became totally delusional thinking God was pleased. We too sometimes pick and choose what we want to follow in God’s word.

The people rejected Gods plan and made their own. When this happened there was gross wickedness. They became blinded by their sin and justified themselves. Sounds very much like today. There is nothing we are incapable of when sin takes over. They needed to recognize how far they had strayed from their relationship with God. Only repentance can restore that.

Without partnership, they only sought God in crisis. Sound familiar?  They go out to battle and are defeated twice. They cry out to God because they’re defeated, but the rest of their life didn’t seek the Lord. This is where we find ourselves if we don’t have that connection with God.

They were deluded, coming up with their own solutions and making greater problems. They needed a heart synced with God. And so do we. Any one of us could follow this path. Our hearts are prone to wander without our right relationship with God. Invite the Lord to show you. God provides the opportunity at the cross by His grace. Allow Him to start a fresh and right partnership with him.