"Take My Yoke Upon You" -- Conformed to His Image

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and lowly of heart,
and you shall find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy,
and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-29)

A yoke is a beam. It goes across the shoulders. The person's hands are usually near the end of the beam.

The shape of a person wearing a yoke is not unlike the shape of somebody attached to a cross.

Later in Matthew, Jesus talks about our taking up our cross and following Him. In chapter 11, Jesus speaks paradoxically about a yoke being easy. And in chapter 16, He talks about finding one's life in losing it.



Let us suffer here with Jesus,
to His image e'er conform.
Heaven's glory soon will please us,
sunshine follow on the storm.
Though we sow in tears of sorrow,
we shall reap celestial joy,
and the fears that now annoy
shall be laughter on the morrow.
Christ, I suffer here with Thee --
there, oh, share Thy joy with me!