Reverence and Awe

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Come unto me." - Matthew 11:28

Evening: "Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened." - Isaiah 48:8

Wow, God really blessed me today! I've been studying this Scripture, Matthew 11:28-30, for a month or so now. Studying it, because the Lord has been ministering it to my heart, urging me on to rest in His wonderful yoke.

And now I get to share my musings on it - what a treat!

May I be bold for a second, and disagree a bit with Mr. Spurgeon? I don't agree that the law was a dispensation of terror. The law, and our inability to follow it to perfection, points us with an inerrant finger to Christ, the mediator of a better convenant, and so it is wonderfully good! As good as the honest friend that witnessed to you your need for Christ.

The new convenant with Christ is better because it is based on God's promises - He says in Jeremiah 31:31-34, talking about the coming new convenant, "I will", whereas the old covenant was based on our performance, where God says in Exodus 19:5 "If you will". [Guzik]

We fail, if we try to follow the law, because of our sin nature. God is so good to bring a new covenant by the death of His only Son Jesus, our Messiah! But blaming the old covenant would be like going skydiving, and forgetting to pack a parachute, and blaming the Law of Gravity for your demise on the way down. And on the way down, that failed parachutist will quickly learn to pray, if he didn't know how already. The Law of Gravity (as used by God) drew him toward the Lord as inexorably as it drew him to the ground. [I have heard the testimony of a Christian who gave his life to the Lord, as He drew this young man to Him, on his way falling off a cliff!]

But I'll be the first to agree with Mr. Spurgeon that we all, none more than I, needed a new convenant desperately! I needed to rest from my own hopeless labors, and enter into the glorious rest of my Redeemer. He says "Come!" "Take My yoke upon you!".

Jesus is my Governor! Let me explain what I mean. In Isaiah 9, we read:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - [Isa 9:6 NKJV]

The government will be on His shoulder. This is both a prophecy of His future kingdom, but also the nature of His lordship over His church, the body of Christ. 'Shoulder' in Hebrew, is 'shekem'. This the the part of the body that bears the burden, that carries the yoke. We are invited by Christ to be guided by His yoke, to wear His yoke and follow Him. And the Lord draws us to Him by reminding us of the glorious rest that comes by surrendering our lives to Christ!

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." - [Mat 11:29-30 NKJV]

He is the good Governor, who tends His yoke-bearers! He took off of us the yoke of the Law, and gave us His gentle yoke! He says, in Hosea 11:

I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped [and] fed them. - [Hsa 11:4 NKJV]

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon