Yokefellows With Christ

Today we have a word from my Great Uncle Malcolm, on being Yokefellows with Christ, working together with the Lord, which we also identify with in our own lives.

When Dave and I first became Christians, we felt very much this way, our marriage had been going towards separation, but God brought us back together, under His yoke, His leadership and direction, so we were in God, pulling in the same direction, like two horses pulling together in the same carriage.

When I knew that I could do nothing on my own, nothing to save my marriage in my own strength, that is when I turned to Christ and He was there to save and direct me, we have never looked back.

As someone said, “What Satan intended to drive a wedge between you, Jesus used to save you.”

We are stronger together when we are together with Him as our focus.

J.M Rowland

5, Tichborne Street,

Leicester

To St John’s College P.M 19/2/42

Matthew 6: 28 – 30

It has been pointed out that a yoke is a thing which two people bear together, a harness which coordinates the efforts of two people.

Therefore we are invited to ‘get into harness’ with Christ. What a privilege; to be called to do a job of work with the Lord of Creation as our partner.

There are one or two aspects of this illustration of the yoke which are instructive.

First of all one point that we’re always having drilled into us, and quite rightly, that we must not try to do all the work ourselves.

Some of us are so keen to get on with the job that we positively leap into the harness and strive for all we’re worth to pull the Christian cart by ourselves.

But it won’t work, and we have probably been warned so often that it won’t work that we are very wary lest we should fall into such an attitude.

To switch for a moment to another of Our Lord’s illustrations (John 15 v 5) “I am the true vine, without me you can do nothing.”

But we can fall into what is perhaps a more subtle fault.

We must not sit back and expect Christ to do all the work.

It is possible for us, in our anxiety to do nothing of ourselves, to do nothing at all.

There must be a conscious effort on my part to serve God, even though the strength to carry it out is not mine.

A man can get some petrol put into his car at a garage (the potential power to drive the car,) but unless he himself is willing to release the brake, let in the clutch, the result will be nil!

It is of no use if one of the partners under the yoke is sitting back expecting the other to do the job.

Our Lord said “Strive to enter in at the strait gate…not “Sit back and let God carry you in.” Luke 8 v 24

And finally an obvious, but important point, if one of the partners under the yoke stumbles, the other is upset too.

Jesus will never let us down, but every time we stumble and fall on the Christian way, we not only put ourselves to shame, but, what is far more important, we let him down.

Not only do we stain our own souls, but we also grieve Jesus and upset his plans.

Let us all see to it then, that we bear our share of the Christian yoke manfully, with Jesus by our side, and that our progress and His plan are not hindered by any failures and stumbling on our part.

Trust in the Lord and do right.