Thursday, February 3, 2011
"My Burden Is Light"
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. —1 John 5:3
All of the words of Scripture are inspired by God. They are inspired in Genesis and in Exodus, and throughout the Old Testament. They are inspired in the New Testament as well. And we learn about God from studying the Scriptures.
Jesus said, "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" (Matthew 11:29). Then He added, "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (verse 30).
When I think of a yoke, I don't think of something light. But the word "light" also could be translated "well-fitting." A carpenter would custom-design a yoke for the animal that would be wearing it. So when we are committed to God and submitted to Him, the yoke He gives us is not heavy. In fact, 1 John 5:3 tells us, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Some people think of the Christian life as a hindrance, as merely a bunch of rules and regulations. But I am wondering which of God's commandments they are struggling with. Does the fact that God forbids stealing, lying, and murdering people actually bother them?
Once I found a brightly colored little bird nestled in the grass of our backyard that looked like someone's pet. When my son borrowed a cage from a neighbor, the little bird hopped in, jumped on the perch, and started swinging away. He didn't see the bars of that cage as a prison that kept him in, but as walls of protection that kept predators out.
In the same way, we can either look at God's commandments as constraining, or we can see them for what they really are: a barrier of protection.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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SPECIAL OFFER
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Have you ever doubted the Bible? Have you ever had questions about how the Bible came into being? Have you wondered about the historical reliability of the Bible? Listen. Don't feel bad about that. Let us help you. Here is a great resource that will bolster your faith and help you to defend your beliefs. This book is called Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible. It is written by Greg's friend, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, who is the pastor of the famed Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Illinois.
You can have your own copy of Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible in appreciation for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month. 
