goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

A Cloak for a Yoke

By Linda Tancs

A yoke is a type of harness fastened to the necks of two animals and attached to the vehicle that they are supposed to pull. That’s why they’re called beasts of burden. So it might be difficult to think in a positive way about Jesus wanting to relieve our burdens by inviting us to take His yoke upon us (Matthew 11:28-30). The key is not to think of it as a yoke, with all of its burdensome connotations. Think of it as a cloak. A cloak is a loose garment; it’s not heavy or burdensome. He wants us to exchange the weighty yoke for a cloak. Don’t weigh yourself down with the cares of this world. Cast them on Him.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Travel Light

By Linda Tancs

You’ve no doubt heard the advice to “travel light.” The reasoning is fairly obvious: less weighty baggage, ease in movement, fewer worries over possessions. Jesus understood the value of traveling light; that’s why He advised his disciples to do that (Mark 6:8-9). Beyond the physical benefits, there’s a spiritual dimension to traveling light—a lightness of being. We often speak of burdened people as having “excess baggage.” Like its physical counterpart, this kind of excess baggage is expensive. It comes in many forms, like painful memories, drugs, debt, broken relationships. Its cost is peace. Drop the unnecessary baggage at Jesus’s feet (Matthew 11:28-30). He knows what to do with it.