The reason a farmer would yoke a young, weaker, inexperienced ox to an older, stronger, trained ox was to keep him on the path. This is another thing we can learn from Christ when we accept His invitation in Matthew 11:29 to "...take my yoke upon you and learn from me..." One of the most common mistakes we make as Christ-followers is our tendency to get off the path.
The yoke of the Holy Spirit serves to harness us to the guidance Christ provides. John 16:13 says, "When He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth." Let's face it, sometimes following the leading of the Holy Spirit is a frightening prospect, but we can trust our guide!
There's a great story about a missionary who hired a native guide to direct him through one of the most dense jungles in Africa. For the first few miles, the path was clear but after a while the missionary couldn't see the path at all. He began to get concerned and asked his guide, "Where is the path? I can't see it." The native smiled and said, "At this point in the jungle... I AM the path."
What a great lesson for us as Christ-followers. Sometimes we can't see the path in life, but Jesus reminds us that in those moments, He is the path! (John 14:6)
Let's step into the yoke God has provided and allow Christ to keep us on the path!
