CAST ALL YOUR CARES UPON HIM (MATTHEW 11:28-30)
Two words are most emblematic of modern society: stress and depress. Stress is the contribution or cause and depression is the condition or consequence. Stress lasts for a few days, but depression can last for a long time.
The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong (MHA), a large NGO funded mostly by the government, found that in one survey it carried out in 2014, a dramatic 50 percent of respondents felt they had poor mental health. Twenty-five percent reported levels of stress and anxiety—2.5 times the global average—and 60 percent reported job stress. Around 18 per cent of working persons need psychological treatment.
http://thediplomat.com/2016/06/hong-kongs-mental-health-crisis/
Here are what netizens have to say about why they are stressed out:
I am stressed out because of studies, exams, about shcool or in college.
I am stressed out at work
I am stressed out about money/debts
I am stressed out about everything
I am stressed out everyday
I am stressed out all the time
I am stressed out for no reason
I am stressed out with life
I am stressed out to the max
Here are why netizens are depressed:
I am depressed because of my parents
I am depressed because of my wife
I am depressed because of my family
I am depressed because of my husband
I am depressed because of my girlfriend
I am depressed because of my relationship
I am depressed because of my friends
I am depressed because of my weight
I am depressed because of my height
I am depressed because of where I live
I am depressed because of my hair loss
I am depressed because of my teeth
I am depressed because of my looks
I am depressed because I am skinny
I am depressed because of work I am unemployed
I am depressed because of a breakup
I am depressed because I am a alone/single
I am depressed because of acne
I am depressed because I am broke
I am depressed because I am bored
I am depressed because I can’t find a job
I am depressed because I don’t know why
I am depressed because of my face, I am ugly, fat, short, poor
I am depressed because of I hate my job I have no job
A poster: I stress about stress before there’s even stress to stress about. Then I stress about stressing over stress that doesn’t need to be stress about. It’s stressful.
New Words in the Bible
V 28 heavy laden, give you rest
V 29 yoke, lowly, rest
V 30 easy, burden, light
What can you do when you are stressed, depressed or anxious? Why is it imperative to get help? Where can we get help? Who do we turn to for help?
Be Called to Him – You are Invited!
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
When my wife Doris passed away on May 22, 2016, nearly seven months ago, brothers and sisters were quick to comfort me but, their words failed and fell flat, not for the lack of trying or substance, but that men can do so little.
Some of those comfort were less than comforting, such as “Add oil,” “Be strong,” “Move on” and the traditional Chinese saying “Restrain your grief!” Here are some of the worst things to say to the grieving, according to a website:
1. At least she lived a long life, many people die young
2. He/she is in a better place
3. There is a reason for everything
4. Aren’t you over him yet, he has been dead for awhile now
5. She was such a good person God wanted her to be with him
6. I know how you feel
7. She did what she came here to do and it was her time to go
8. Be strong
http://www.calebwilde.com/2013/12/11-worst-and-best-things-to-say-at-a-funeral-3/
The only that matters for Doris as she battled the presence of cancer and also for me when I battle her absence is for God’s presence and peace, His solace and strength . Day and night my wife would come to the Lord and cry to the Lord seek His company, care and comfort.
Jesus’ first word is “come.” The verb “come” is an imperative. It is required and not requested, mandatory and not meaningless, imposing and not inviting, and it is binding and not bargainable. Surprisingly, it is an order and not an offer, prescribed and not preferred, a directive that cannot be deferred, a command and not a contingency, a mandate and a must. Come means not to hesitate, hurt or hide. It means go to Him, give it up, and get His help. It is more than merely with legs, lips and body, but with heart, mind, soul and strength. .
Who does Jesus have in mind? The weary is derived from trouble (Matt 26:10), labours (John 4:38), wearinesss (2 Cor 11:23, 27). It means to be stressed, sad, and suffering. Burden comes from luggage or load, cargo and shipment. Weary is the being, and burdend is the belongings. The promise is to all because the two particples (weary, burdened) are plural. These are people who are heavy-hearted, heartbroken and helpless. There are also others with burdens that weighed them down, wear them off, and wipe them out. Nobody can help them, nowhere to hide, nothing to heal them or The result is you either bottle up, burn out, or break down.
Jesus not only gave an order but has an offer. The verb “give rest” (anapauo) means ease (Luke 12:19) and refreshed (1 Cor 16:18). It is dervied (pauo) from the word left (Luke 5:4), cease (Luke 8:24), refrain (1 Peter 3:10) – not linger, continue or return. Not just a break or breather but a breakthrough; not a respite or reprieve but a removal, not suspension or subtraction but to surrender and share with Him. Rest is a precious commodity. Rest is more than sleeping; it i s not physical or recreational but mental, emotional and peaceable. It is not counted or bound or measure by the hours or hideout but in one’s heart and hope. It is not about body and time, heart and souls (v 29).
Be Comforted in Him – You are Involved!
29 Take my yoke upon you
The second imperative is “take,” which is translated as bear (Matt 4:6), remove (Matt 21:21), lift (Luke 17:13), away (Luke 23:18), loose (Acts 27:13).
It’s been said, “An ox without a yoke is like an angel without wings.” (Dominaca) A yoke can join two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team or a wooden frame across the shoulders that enables a person to carry buckets hanging from each end, or a crosspiece upon the head of a boat’s rudder so that the boat can be steered from amidships.
An early farmer Levi Lincoln shared abut the effect of yoking: “The best broken oxen are those which are early trained and and accusotmed to the yoke with early light work. Cattle of the largest size requires a yoke from four and half feet to five feet in length.”
A yoke is a coupling, which means you must be joined, united and paired to Jesus. A pair of oxen yoked together is two or four times as strong as the one without a yoke, but an ox without a yoke will run amok and inflict damage in the fields. Without a yoke the oxen has no power, purpose or progress. The ox go their own way.
A yoke does not mean a person is shackled by him, supplanted, shadowed by him, substituted by him, means be be shared with him, supported, shaped by him and strengthened by him. I don’t like yokes, nor do I even carry a bag. For us we are not yoked to a thing but yoked to a person, our Master. For example, you are yoked to the person you marry (2 Cor 6:14). A yoke means you are subjected to Christ, surrendered to Him, steady in Him and supported by and strengthend in Him. A yoke is a harness, a help and a habit, not to handicap, hinder or harden you.
Be Coached by Him – You are Instructed.
and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
I asked myself how to handle life?
My room gave me all the answers:
The roof said, “Aim high.”
The fan said, “Be cool.”
The clock said, “Value time.”
The calendar said, “Be up to date.”
The wallet said, “Save now for the future.”
The mirror said, “Always observe yourself.”
The wall said, “Share others' load.”
The window said, “Expand the vision.”
The floor said, “Always be down to earth.”
The stairs said, “Watch each step you take.”
The most inspiring ones:
The toilet bowl said, “When it's time to let go, just let it go.”
The bed said, “When you feel tired, just lie down and get some rest.”
Of the three imperatives, “come” is the path and progress, take is the “pairing or partnership” and learn is the person and the pupil.
The last imperative is “learn,” but this time it has to do with Christ. Learn means to be separated to Him, schooled by Him, skilled and to be shaped, striaghtened and sharpened by Him. You are his son, servant as well as student – to reflect , resemble and represent Him.
Humble in KJV means low degree (Luke 1:52), low estate (Rom 12:16), cast down (2 Cor 7:6), base (2 Cor 10:1) and humble (James 4:6).
Find means consequence or conclusion. It is a gain and a guarantee, a promiseand a present, an outcome and an offshoot, an assurance and an trribute, a discovery and a development, a reason with a result.
There is only one reason (gar) - cause or character - throughout the passage, in verse 30: For my yoke is easy and my burden is light
A yoke can be a blessing or a bondage. The yoke of the king of Babylon is repeated six times in Jeremiah (Jer 27:8, 11, 12, 28:2, 4, 11). The yoke may be a metaphor for something oppressive, slavish or degrading, but Jesus’s yoke is humble, not humiliating; helpful and not hurting, one of deliverance and not dominance, tenderness and not tyranny, lowly rather than lordly, modestly rather than masterly. There is no hardship, harshness or heavy-handedness in His learning.
Jesus’ yoke or burden, however, is easy and light – quality versus quantity. Easy means better (Luke 5:39, kind (Luke 6:35), goodness (Rom 2:4) and gracious (1 Peter 2:3). Easy is the virtue but light is the volume. Easy is tender, touching and transparent, but light means tangible, technical and telling. Light is derived from younger (Rom 9:12), under (1 Tim 5:9),and less (Heb 7:7) in Greek.
Conclusion: Do you know the God of peace (Rom 15:33, 16:20, 1 Thess 5:23), the Lord of peace (2 Thess 3:16) and the King of peace (Heb 7:2)? Do you want the peace of God, which passes all understanding, to keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7)? Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you (John 14:27).
Come to the Lord, who is the great physician, wonderful counsellor and gentle shepherd, listener and lover of our soul.
