Daily Gospel Reflection for July 20, 2023

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Cathy Knipper

Today's Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30

Have you ever released a heavy load and felt relief wash over your body? Whether the heavy load be physical, mental, spiritual, financial, or emotional, the casting off and putting down can bring a welcome respite.

The people of Jesus’s time were heavily burdened with the yoke of the law. For many, the letter of the law had overshadowed the actual reason for those very laws—obedience to God and His will. Jesus recognized the weight the people of His time were carrying. He preached peace and rest, hoping to illuminate hearts and minds. Jesus also recognizes how we can place unnecessary yokes upon ourselves that the Lord does not wish for us to carry. In our desire to please others and to do good, we often take on more than we should. This is not God’s will for us. When this happens, our burden seems too much to bear. In taking on more than we can handle, we lose our way and rob others of the chance to serve. Like oxen without a farmer to guide us, we plow ahead thinking this burden is ours to carry alone. When we lose our way, carrying unnecessary burdens, hopefully we will cry out to the Lord for help.

Picture Jesus removing the heavy, burdensome, and unyielding yoke from the shoulders of your spirit and placing His gentle, healing hands upon you. Off comes the load you were never meant to carry, and in its place is a gentle guiding, leading you on the path the Father had for you all along.

How peaceful are His ways, how merciful His love! Thank you, Lord, for giving us the rest our souls need to nurture us on our journey to You.

Ponder:

Am I taking on a yoke the Lord does not want me to carry?

Pray:

Dear Lord, help me to recognize the yoke You wish me to carry and to release the burdens of the world so I may rest in Your peace.

Click to tweet:
We can place unnecessary yokes upon ourselves that the Lord does not wish for us to carry. In our desire to please others and to do good, we often take on more than we should.  #DailyGospel

Copyright 2023 Cathy G. Knipper

Cathy is a farmer's daughter, wife, mom, and new grandma. She works as an author coach and book publicist. She tries daily to be a woman of faith while fighting her Instagram addiction, reading as voraciously as time allows, working on her log cabin home in the woods, and splitting her time between her two grandsons. Follow her on Instagram at @awordinprogress.