A Change Is Gonna Come

Many would feel that the life of a Christian is a hardship that is not necessary to take. It would appear that you have to limit yourself from things of the world that you would want. It would appear that you have to limit your mindset from the influence of all the ideas of the world that are popular and current. It would appear that you have to obligate yourself to a list of regulations and spiritual activities that are not always becoming and often fail to be profitable. It would appear that the extra weight of the Christian responsibility would be a burden that is unnecessary to bear. It would appear...at least to some...Well, what did Jesus say. Check out Matthew 11:29- 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 I believe He is telling us that we all have to be entangled, obligated, or, yes, yoked in this world with some type of obligation or responsibility. Even the easy rider that strives to live his life untangled, constantly is obligated with avoiding obligation and yet still eating and living free in this world. Those who, instead, strive to stay current and enlightened are obligated to keep up with what the latest word is on the psychological, sociological, or political trend of the day is to avoid being sheltered like those they criticize. We all are yoked somehow. That is not a bad thing. Marriage is a yoke but one that is mutual and rewarding. Parenting is a yoke that brings fulfillment and heartbreak...sometimes minutes apart. A job is a yoke but it can be very fulfilling and it's much more fun to eat than to live and not eat. So should one take on anoTher yoke...the yoke of Christianity? Jesus tells us why we should. His yoke instructs us. Life does not come with an owner's manual but Christianity comes with the book of guidance breathed out by the Creator of it. We can learn from tHis yoke. His yoke is gentle. In the hard, rough world in which we live, it good to know there is one that listens, cares, loves, and guides. What a gift! His yoke is humble. For all the pride that is boasted in this world, it is so fresh to have an alternative that leads us but with humility. What a blessing! His yoke is restful. When you are weary from the world's demands and the weight of all and every other yoke, know that there is a place of rest for the weary. What a joy to know! The yoke of Christ is a choice but one that should not be hard. He did not come to belabor our lives, to limit our insights, or to add to our plate. He came to guide us through the deep dark woods of a fallen world and to encourage us to grab other's hands along the way and show them the path as well. This is not a yoke to run from today. Let me close by telling you about the next couple of weeks. I am in Louisiana this morning set to fly to Israel overnight. The time is different there. The wi-fi seems questionable in spots and my schedule is unclear. I plan to do something different over these days. Instead of reading the wwww.lifejournal.cc text, I will be reading texts that comply with the areas I will visit. I hope to share each day at the end of the day some words on my day's experiences. I am not sure, however, of how that schedule will work. If I write at 9 pm, Mississippi can read it at 1 pm and so on, but I would love for to share this with me as I am able to share. Your prayers for me, and more importantly, my dear family is much appreciated. I am, as well, learning to do this blog on an iPad. It is different and I am not always good at it, but it is all I have for two weeks. The editing may not be too pretty. I look forward to the journey.