Today's Bible Reading: MATTHEW 8:5-13, 11:1-30; LUKE 7:1-50
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
We all could use some rest. In our busy stress filled lives we at times find it hard to get “good” rest. Oh we may lie down to sleep only to find that we are restless. Sleep evades us. It is allusive. We remain restless. As our text suggests we are “heavy laden”. Our labor, thoughts and concerns weigh heavy upon us. But it is not physical rest that we need, but a much deeper rest.
This text deals with soul rest. It addresses the weight and burden of sin upon the unregenerate. It speaks to the restlessness of the soul without the Savior and the striving to gain peace with God through personal effort. Jesus says come to me. It is in His life, death and resurrection that you will find rest for your soul. He has taken the burden of sin for all who believe in Him. He grants eternal peace and rest for all who come to Him. So, stop striving and surrender. Find rest for your soul.
It also speaks to burdensome believers. It addresses the stressed saints. It cry’s out to those whose confidence is in Him but struggle. It speaks to those of us who are loaded down with the cares of the world and all of those whose concerns consume them. It gives hope for those whose energy is expended and whose stamina is depleted. These are those who find that rest eludes them. Although our work load is heavy, our task is unfinished, and we are sleep deprived, we continue. We are trapped in an endless cycle. There is no rest for the weary.
We still need to come. We need to come daily. We need to come not for salvation, but sanctification. In our despair we can find deliverance. In our hopelessness we can receive help. Our restless soul can find real rest.
Jesus lived in overwhelmingly stressful situations. Crowds pressed against Him. His disciples demanded of Him. Leaders opposed Him. Everyone was expecting something from Him. Yet He was never restless. He was always perfectly at peace. He was constantly content. He learned rest. He understood the necessity of respite. He recognized the need for moments of meditation. He understood the role of seasons of solace and solitude. He withdrew to wind down. He regimented His routine with repeated retreats with the Father to refresh and refocus.
An unmanaged soul leads to unmanaged stress. No rest leads to No relief. Therefore, Jesus beckons the weary to come. He calls the heavy leaden to approach. He challenges the restless to rest. He doesn’t call them to a seminar, but to His side. He doesn’t commend to them self-help guides, but to Himself. Come to me, He calls. He encourages you to put aside what pressures you and come into His presence. He beckons you to yoke up with Him. He says to you to stop striving and sit with Him. Daily come to Him. Open His word and listen and learn. Rest awaits you. All those who find time to sit with Him will find rest for their souls. Will you come?
Today find rest for your weary soul in Christ. Come sit with Him. Come and be held by Him. Come and learn from Him. Come to Him and find your soul rested.
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