Unequally Yoked: The story of two donkeys

Sometimes I feel like some of God's word is not very applicable now or its outdated. Especially when I want it to suit my will. Do you guys get that feeling? This time, God made it sink in such a way that left no doubt in my mind. I guess He saw I kept failing in this area :-)

Two weeks ago as I was heading home from work in the evening I saw a now familiar sight in Meru town. Donkeys! They are used to transport farm produce, house hold items when people are shifting and all sorts of things in this town. The beatings used to make me cry when I was new in Meru but now I just shake my head in sadness. I guess am getting hardened (how sad).

Anyway, to todays story. There was something unusual about this two yoked donkeys. They seem to be going slower and with much struggle. They kept jerking each other in different directions. No matter how much beatings they received on their already sore backs, they just did not seem to co-ordinate in harmony. This pitiful situation was causing distraction as all cars were hooting to the donkeys wanting to overtake them (they were very slow). The harder the hooting, the harder the man on the cart beat the donkeys.

Now, the thing that I noticed was how mismatched this two donkeys were. One was small, frail and thin while the other donkey was huge and strong. There and then, I felt in my heart clarity of the verse to be 'Unequally yoked'. God was speaking to me and making his word alive.The donkeys were unequally yoked. No matter how much the man beat the donkeys, there is no way they could coordinate. They were pulling each other in different directions. Its was uncomfortable for both donkeys to have to put too much effort in order to match with each other. For there to be harmony, the man in the cart had to find donkeys of the same size and strength so that they could be equally yoked!

To be unequally yoked simply means to be mismatched. Now, picture if the donkey was yoked with an ox. Even more chaos!

Dear friends, God is wise. when he tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, it is for our own benefit. When a born again christian marries a non believer, it results to much strive and struggle because you will be pulling each other in different directions. Its equivalent to a donkey being yoked to an ox or a donkey and a camel. If you want your marriage to be for keeps, well, isn't being unequally yoked a high risk to take? The marriage may last a lifetime but the struggle to maintain it will be too much.

This verse does not only apply to marriage only. It also applies to close friends, you know those that influence your life and thinking, the people we take advice from, role models. The bible says in 1st Cor 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Let us be warned. Forewarned is fore armed. Especially us who are young and yet to be married. If you are in an unequally yoked relationship (not a marriage), ask God to give you the strength to be detached. Lets not be in a rush. God knows you need someone who matches your faith. He will provide. Do not be unequally yoked.

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 2nd Cor 6:14

Of swallowships and Fellowships

Last week was a crazy time at work. Really crazy that I worked on the weekend and I never do unless its absolutely necessary. In the process, I missed my Monday prayers at church and barely made it to the Thursday home fellowship. First, you have to know that I LOVE those two days of prayer and fellowship. I really do and I look forward to them. Its wonderful being with people of faith even if just to chat and enjoy ourselves and do swallowships.

Just in case your not aware, swallowships is where a group of Christians meet with the main agenda being to eat :-). They are so fun!

After I missed the Monday prayers at church, I felt so bad like something was missing. I knew technically I hadn't done anything wrong as I was genuinely busy at work. But by Thursday, I felt like I needed spiritual top-up from a group of believers. I practically ran to the home fellowship though I was late :-(

I realised, its true, what the bible says, do not neglect the coming together of brethren. God is wise! When you neglect fellowship with people of faith, your spirit weekens. Iron sharpens iron Prov 27:17 . No day will plastic ever sharpen iron. Same case, Believers sharpen believers. If you want your spiritual life to get better, good place to start will be looking for a bible believing fellowship and join ASAP.

Too many times I hear Christians say, they attend TV church from their living room and I just wonder. It is not right. God never intended us to replace human fellowship with virtual fellowship. So no, JCC church on TV cannot be your only church. Christian blogs cannot be your only bible study. Its during those times of solitude that the devil speaks lies to us and causes our faith to weaken. Its during those times of solitude that we are influenced by other things and we loose focus of our salvation.

God is wise. Lets listen to his counsel. We must never forsake fellowships and swallowships.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing Heb 10:25