Commitment.

It's a scary word, no?  Commitment.  What do you think of?  Family?  Marriage?  Dating?  Meetings?  Weekend plans that you desperately want out of?   

I strongly dislike the word, and the stigma attached.  I mean, I don't even like to make weekend plans because I'm afraid of being tied down.  Seriously!  I think it's an illness that plagues too many people.  I want to draw some attention to Matthew 11:27-30:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Some people had to go back to work this week, and I'm using this verse as an encouragement to you.  Some people had to work all last weekend, so may you be encouraged to.  Still others have the entire week off, but they carry such heavy loads in their hearts & minds - may this verse also be an encouragement to you.

How easily we are burdened by the things of this world.  I am so thankful for Jesus.  I am so thankful that he is such a willing and patient Teacher.  I am incredibly thankful that he longs to be committed to us.  I mean, think about it.  Not only are we invited to lay at his feet, which is where we find rest, but we are allowed to learn from him.  And to think!  His yoke is easy!  And his burden is light!  He is ever-committed, and he never lets us down!  A yoke is something that we are tied to him with, similar to the yoke of farm animals.  It is a great commitment also on our part, and worth it.  But what of his burden? 

What do you think Jesus' burden entails?  What, truly, was his burden?  And how is it light?  You see, I was always quite confused by this.  If Jesus came to take away the sins of all who enter into a relationship with him, then how is his burden light?  What I failed to realize is that I am not called to take away the sins of myself, or of those around me.  I am called to be yoked to him, in step with him, side by side with where he is leading.  This yoke & burden are often hard work, but they are a joy because he is there.

For some readers of this blog, my talk of Jesus may be unsettling.  Some of you are still unsure of whether Jesus was a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.  Still others know what they think - he is one of the three for each of you.  But I can't help but talk about him, and I can't apologize for the endless words spoken about him, the never-ending conversation about this man.  I find myself yoked to him, committed to him, and though each step is sometimes muddy or thorny or filled with rocks in the field, I can't describe the joy that I feel because I'm next to him.  The burden truly becomes light.  Even when I'm staring down the barrel of the beginning of a new chapter.  

I start physical therapy tomorrow.  It will just be an assessment/evaluation, but it is the start nonetheless.  I have not hidden how I feel about physical therapy: I'm not looking forward to it.  I know that it will have me walking again, but the steps that it will take to get there will be grueling.  And you would agree if you could see the size of my ridiculous calves.  : )

But.  My burden is light, and I'm entering in with an open mind.  I'm ready to learn from Jesus.  I'm ready for what he is going to teach me, what he has for me in the day.  I'm trying not to focus on lengths of time, but on the day.  To learn means that I need to get better at listening.

My family and I have committed to memorizing scripture together in the next weeks, and I'm very excited.  I feel like I have so spiritual disciplines to work on, and memorizing scripture is a huge weakness for me.  Meditating on Scripture is talked about in the Bible many times; I am not taking this commitment lightly.  With this commitment, and my my need to practice better listening, I'm not sure how much talking/writing I will be doing in the next weeks.  Maybe not as much as I have been in the last couple of months, but maybe I will.  Only the Lord knows.  I have followed his leading within this blog thus far, and I will continue to do so.  Please pray for me, not just for the continued healing of my legs (of which he deserves all the credit, and infinitely more praise), but also that I may have ears that are in tune with his voice.  I so long for him to speak to me through Scripture, and I am looking forward to all that he is going to teach me.  Please also pray for my family that we will follow-through with our commitment, and that we can listen to the Lord more clearly.