Throughout the Bible, we find verses that can be broken down into two parts: your part and God’s part. Here are a few examples, all from the New King James Version, with me adding in the designations “your part” and “God’s part.”

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself also in the Lord, (your part) and He shall give you the desires of your heart. (God’s part)

Proverbs 3:6: In all your ways acknowledge Him, (your part) and He shall direct your paths. (God’s part)

Matthew 6:4: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; (your part) and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (God’s part)

Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, (your part) and all these things shall be added to you.” (God’s part)

Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, (your part) and I will give you rest.” (God’s part)

Mark 1:17: “Follow Me, (your part) and I will make you become fishers of men.” (God’s part)

Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, (your part) I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (God’s part)

In regards to each of these verses, God won’t do your part and you can’t do His part. You see, this isn’t God imposing His will on you any more than it is you imposing your will upon Him. Instead, it is a pair working in tandem.

One of those verses I cited was Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Now let me tell you what Jesus says in the verse that follows. He says: “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. (Matthew 11:29, N.K.J.V.)”

For years, I missed the meaning of that verse simply because I didn’t know what a yoke was. Now I know that a “yoke” is a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (such as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for the purpose of working together. To picture a yoke in your mind, envision a wooden board laid across the necks of two animals standing side by side. The board has a slight arc in each place where an animal’s neck rests, and underneath each side of the board hangs a u-shaped harnessing device that buckles the board under each animal’s neck.

This makes for an incredibly graphic illustration. While it would be blasphemous for me to describe Jesus as an ox and for me to place myself right alongside Him in anything, it’s a different story when He is the one painting the word picture. Jesus is saying to me, “I have taken My place here on one side of the yoke. The board is resting upon My shoulders, and the harness is tightened underneath My neck. I’m ready to work. Now I want you to take your place alongside Me in the yoke. Let the other side of the board rest upon your shoulders and let the other harnessing device hang tight under your neck.”

Furthermore, in Christ’s illustration, God the Father is the farmer who owns the yoke and is ready to work the team of animals. Remember that Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me” (John 9:4, N.K.J.V.). Isn’t it amazing that Jesus wants me to work with Him to get God the Father’s work done? Despite the fact that Jesus is omnipotent and could do the work by Himself, He asks me to work with Him!

Do you know what that means? For Jesus to want to work alongside me day after day, night after night, He must enjoy my company. He must like having a relationship with me and spending time with me. Make no mistake, it’s an honor for Jesus to ask a person to work beside Him. It means He has saved a place for that person inside the yoke. There He is, shoulders stooped, with the yoke resting upon Him. Then He turns His head from inside the harness, looks at the person, gives a little grin, and says, “Get in here, we’ve got work to do.”

You say, “But I’m not sure I like the sounds of that. I’m afraid the work Jesus has in mind for me will wear me out.” Don’t worry, this work won’t lay you to waste. Notice that Jesus ends His invitation by saying, “…and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30, N.K.J.V.).”

What we are dealing with here is a paradox. A yoke shouldn’t be easy, and the burden of being in it shouldn’t be light. Keep in mind, though, that we are talking about Jesus, and He can make the impossible possible. Just as He Himself never tires of doing God the Father’s work, you won’t tire of doing it either when you work with Him. To the contrary, you will find yourself rested.

Oh, and here’s another thing: You don’t have to be super qualified before you can get in the yoke with Jesus because He will teach you how to do the work. I’ve heard that farmers will put an inexperienced animal in a yoke with an experienced one so the experienced animal can teach the inexperienced one how to do the work. By mimicking what the experienced animal does inside the yoke, the inexperienced animal learns. This is what Jesus means when He says, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” He’s saying, “You don’t know how to do God the Father’s work, but I do. All you have to do is join Me in the yoke, follow My lead, and do as I do. In that way, you will learn.”

Tell me, how much of God the Father’s work are you getting done these days? If it isn’t much, you obviously aren’t living the life Jesus wants you to live. Even if you are getting some of the work done, but it is burning you out, something is wrong there, too.

The answer to both problems is simple: Get in yoke with Jesus. That will result in you not only getting God the Father’s work done but also in you enjoying rest for your soul. So, what are you waiting for? Take your place alongside Jesus in God the Father’s yoke and get to work.