I've Been Yoked

Recently, a friend and I began talking about relationships. Relationships can be a very wonderful thing and at the same time be a very uncomfortable thing. It can be one of the most edifying things and one of the most weakening things. Whether, a relationship is of a romantic nature, a familial nature, a business nature, or social nature. I can't help see it as God's blessing onto mankind, because of the nature of relationship. Ultimately, God created man for relationship with Him, but sin twisted its purposes and blessings.

As I thought about relationship, two passages came to mind; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and Matthew 11:25-30. A common symbol between the two is of a yoke as it relates to relationship. Looking at an actual yoke, I can't help but squirm a bit, imagining having such a device around my neck, feeling the pressure on the back of my neck and either feeling myself pushing it against my shoulders or feeling it pulling at my head. The scripture compares being yoked, being strapped to this contraption, as being in a relationship.

Reading 2 Corinthians, Paul gives a stern warning against a believer entering into any type of relationship with an unbeliever. What was the problem with the Corinthians Church that Paul had to admonish them in such a way? I can only guess, but it seems that the audience of the letter were having issues with relating to the unbelieving people around them, compromising their first and most important relationship; there relationship with God. He paints a vivid contrast to the spiritual state of a believer compared to an unbeliever and then explaining why such a contrast exists, because God made us vessels that would worship him and be a witness of His Gospel.

Another view of relationships and of being yoked is from Matthew, where Christ pronounces his gracious authority to establish a relationship with the Father by simply coming to Him with all our burdens and misconception about God and receive rest in coming to Christ and following Him. We have a refuge in Jesus from the world's attack by knowing God Father through His Son.

Pondering these two verses, I can't help but be convicted that I am yoked. We are all yoked to someone or something. But are my relationships reflective of how God purposed relationships, characterized by righteousness, restfulness, holiness, worshipfulness, gospel-centeredness, etc.

May God give me the conviction to take my relationship with Him seriously, so that in all I do, say, or think, it may reflect the glory of Jesus Christ onto a world that has not experienced such honor or riches. May I humbly follow Christ and put on His yoke, rather than following my own desires and in so doing rejecting the only truly satisfying relationship with the Creator. May God give me relationships where His purposes are clear and my own purposes redeemed by Christ's blood. May I hold strong to being yoked to Christ.