Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jeremiah 6:16-17 Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 17 I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’
Life wears us down. We live in a world of relentless motion, pressure, and performance. Yeshua (Jesus) doesn’t deny this. Instead, He speaks directly to those who are “weary and heavy-laden.” The Greek for “weary” (kopiao) means utterly worn out—soul-tired, not just physically fatigued. The burdens He mentions aren’t only external tasks but inward baggage: guilt, shame, expectations, and hidden wounds. Yeshua’s call isn’t merely an invitation to stop—it’s a call to come. He offers what no one else can: rest that restores.
But here’s the surprise—He offers rest through a yoke. That seems backwards. A yoke is for work. Yet this is the wisdom of the kingdom. Yeshua doesn’t promise escape; He offers partnership. His yoke—zugos in Greek—isn’t just a symbol of restraint or control. It represents His way of life, His teachings, and how He walked in obedience to the Father. And when we are yoked to Him, we’re no longer pulling alone. The burden doesn’t disappear—but it is redefined, shared, and lightened. His commands are not oppressive; they align us with God’s design, bringing peace through purpose.
“Learn from Me,” Yeshua says. Not learn just about Me. Not just admire Me. The Greek verb manthano implies observation that leads to transformation—watching the Master in action and imitating His ways. And what are those ways? Love, compassion, gentleness, and humility aren’t signs of weakness or passivity—they’re powerful, intentional choices. They reflect inner strength and a deep trust in God’s plan. Yeshua, though He is the King over all, chose to lower Himself and serve. He didn’t demand honor—He gave it. In doing so, He revealed the true path to peace and rest: not through striving, but through surrender and selfless love.
To take His yoke is to say YES to being shaped. It’s to accept a life of obedience that flows from love. In the Hebraic context, this yoke isn’t legalistic. It’s a joyful return to God’s ancient paths, the ways Jeremiah urged Israel to rediscover. (Jeremiah 6:16-17) Yeshua claims the authority to define that path. He is not just the teacher; He is Wisdom itself (Colossians 2:2-3). In Him, the old paths become living roads that lead to freedom.
Here’s the wonder: when we walk in His ways—when we align with His teaching and pace—rest finds us. Not because we chased it down but because we surrendered to the One who gave it. This rest (anapausis) is not the absence of effort but the presence of inner calm while we labor. It’s working in harmony with our purpose. It’s the second wind of grace.
Maybe you’ve tried everything else. Maybe you’ve carried the weight alone for too long. He’s still saying, “Come to Me.” Not just once, but daily. Take His yoke. Learn His ways. And you will find what your soul has longed for—not just relief, but real rest — a true SHABBAT!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Yesterday, in our devotional I spoke of the two rains in Israel, the early rain and the latter rain. The prophet Joel speaks prophetically of these two rainy seasons in connection with the outpouring of God's spirit.
For much of the year, Israel receives little to no rain. The early rains ( "Yoreh") begin at the time of the Fall Feasts, September-October, and the "Latter Rain (“Malkosh”) concludes the rainy season around the time of the Spring festival of Passover.
En Gedi is a nature reserve about 40 minutes from our home. Surrounded by dry, barren, rocky ground, except to the east where the Dead Sea lies, it is an oasis, fed year round by springs of fresh water, and home to some of the most unique wild and botanical life in the world.
A father asked his son to carry a letter from their camp to the village. He pointed out a trail over which the lad had never gone before. “All right Dad, but I don’t see how that path will ever reach the town,” said the boy. “Well son, I'll tell you how. Do you see that big tree down the path?” asked the father. “Oh, yes, I see that far.” “Well, when you get there by the tree, you’ll see the trail a little farther ahead -- and farther down you'll see another big tree -- and when you reach that one you'll be closer and so on until you get within sight of the houses of the village.”
Yesterday was a big day for us, but especially for baby Obi. He was circumcised in the presence of our friends and family (many of them not believers) at our congregation in Tel Aviv. We had the chance to share about the false report we got concerning Obi's health and how the doctors told us to abort him early on. I tied in the faith that Abraham must have had, especially concerning circumcision. There may not have been a dry eye in the house. Thank you, God!
What a week we've been having! We're getting ready to fly to the States for a much needed time, to see our families and to share what's going on here in the Land. Along with all the hustle and bustle of packing, running loads of errands and training a new volunteer, we just got word that the airport employees have begun a strike and customers have not been able to get on their flights all day. Not only that, we've been having computer problems galore! As the saying goes -- when it rains it pours!
Many times, our unbelieving family and coworkers -- society in general, can make us feel small and inferior -- like second class citizens -- because we are Christians. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, somehow, we begin to believe it! We become what I like to call "mopey Christians," just moping around, keeping our faith hidden under a bushel, feeling afraid to say a word about Jesus, in fear that we might offend someone! And that's precisely what the enemy wants us to feel!