COME AND REST

 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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.” Matthew 11:28-30

Here is another verse that we tend to interpret and apply to our physical, earthly situations when Jesus was more than likely speaking in spiritual terms. What makes you more weary than carrying around guilt and habitual sin? Is not salvation the key to rest? Jesus yoke was the cross. When we take on His yoke, we share in His righteousness, we enter His rest! He paid the the price, took the weight of the cross, the debt and guilt of sin! I have always had trouble with understanding how a yoke could be easy and a burden be light. I think I couldn't get past the physical picture of it all. Easy can also be translated comfortable or pleasant! Does this mean our earthly life will be problem free, without pain or sorrow, trial and trouble? No we haven't entered into a fairly tale, we have entered into a relationship, one where there is work to do, life to be lived, people to reach, the gospel to be preached and most of all our Father to be glorified. It is not time to lay down and die until God calls us home. A yoke is a sign of work, but we are yoked with Christ and He is the power to our labor, He is the joy in our work song, He is the humble teacher who trains us how to walk this earthly road and work as unto the Lord while we sojourn here waiting to be called home. He is the one who will show us how to have this attitude: “to live is Christ, to die is gain”

O let us come to Him weary ones. We have continued to stack up the piles of things that we feel we must do. Let us not be pharisees, trying to earn our way. It is not possible. He has called us into rest. How can we resist so great a salvation, such amazing and wonderful grace and mercy? How He longs for us to walk with Him to trade our yoke of slavery for His yoke of freedom. I know it seems to be in conflict but there really are only two choices, slavery to sin or choosing to be a bond slave to Christ. One you walk in death, heavy laden, weary and burdened and the other is sweet freedom and victory with a Redeemer who has taken on your heavy load, paid your guilt and enabled you to have rest. He Is gentle, He won't drag us. He Is humble in heart, He doesn't berate us even though we deserve it. He offers rest for our souls, peace for our minds, healing for our hearts. O say yes. Say yes, to Him daily.

O Lord God, what can be said, thank You isn't really enough. O, that I would walk with You, daily. Please, teach me how to live in Your rest, sharing Your yoke. Thank You that You took the weight of it so that it would be light and comfortable and even pleasant. Help me to run to fellowship with You, walking in deep relationship moment by moment. Thank You. O Lord, that we would enjoy working with You day by day, sharing your joy that You would be honored in and through our lives. Thank You for making life worth living and death worth dying. Amen


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