The Yolk's On Me

To give everyone a little bit of my background, I was raised on a dairy farm in the heart of America's Bread Basket, the Central Valley.  Growing up being surrounded by all that land and freedom to roam, you'd think it was paradise for me as a kid.  You'd think. 

But I just wasn't, shall we say, the "outdoorsy" type.  The only farming I ever did was planting my backside in front of the T.V. every chance I had.  I would have rather watched "Green Acres" than actually play in them.

Keeping that in mind, fast-forward to my teen years.  I decided I wanted to be able to say I'd read the Bible cover to cover.  (Not so much because I cared to know God better, but more to brag about how well read and cultured I was.)  Anyway, I started out with Genesis 1:1 and did pretty good for a while.  Then I hit all those "so-n-so-beget-what's-his-face" and he went on to beget some other dudes.  Needless to say, I had a change of heart.  I figured the Old Testament probably didn't even count anymore, so why not skip it and go straight to the New Testament? Not my original goal, but still something to brag about.

The Bible I was using wasn't a Study Bible or contain any commentary, (I didn't even know they had Bibles like that) so in many ways I was on my own to figure things out as I read.  Looking back, I could have simply asked someone for help... but that would have been way too easy.  Besides, it would have also meant there were some things I didn't know and I was not about to admit that!

Sure didn't take long before I came to Matt 11:29 where Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Huh?  Yoke? 

Like I said, you'd think being a farmer's daughter, living on a farm within a farming community I would know a yoke was a harness for farm animals used for... you guessed it: farming.  You'd think.

To make matters worse, apparently I wasn't much of a speller either.  Because after reading that passage, I couldn't figure out what following Jesus had to do with eggs. 

(Not YOLK Nanci: y-o-k-e.)

Illiterate or not, I came to a point where the Bible (and ultimately God) didn't make sense.  I had reached the limit of my teenage understanding.  And in that place, I had a choice.  I could either walk away from His Book that had confused me, or I could press on and continue my pursuit despite a lack of explanation or understanding.  I chose to continue reading and dig deeper.  I chose to accept there would be things that went beyond my level of knowledge.  I chose to believe in His Truth even when I had more questions than answers.  What about you?

What do you choose when God doesn't make sense in your life?   What happens when you have reached the limits of your own understanding?  Perhaps things are going on in your world today that leave you with more questions than answers.  If so, I encourage you to keep at it!  Don't give in or give up.  Isaiah 55:8 tells us: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  Even when you cannot see what God is doing, He is still at work.  Ask Him for the wisdom and strength to carry on!

BTW, in case you might be wondering... the Old Testament TOTALLY still counts.