As I sit here this morning the house is quiet. All the family that was here from the thanksgiving holidays are gone. I always look forward to our time together. It is the highlight of my year. I start preparing months in advance and soak in all I can while they are here. However, their leaving is bittersweet. I hate to see them go, but the older I get the more I enjoy rest. I remember even as a young woman in my twenties and thirties I looked at sleep as something I did simply because my body needed it. I felt it was a waste of my time when so much needed to be done. Sleep was something the rest of the family did, which gave me time to catch up with studying or household chores. There was so much to do as I climbed the mountain of life, and I wanted to enjoy every little bit. Now that I am on the downhill side of that mountain, I look forward to bedtime, to sitting down to unwind, to letting the cares of the day become the past. As I look forward to evening and bedtime, in my mind there is a promise of rest coming, but sometimes that promise is not a reality, as I toss and turn and can’t sleep. Yet, there is a promise of rest that I can count on, and that one is in Jesus.
One of the great promises in the Bible is found in Matthew 11:28-29. In verse 28, the Master is giving an open invitation to anyone who will come to him. It contains an unconditional promise of welcome. He also promises to those who follow His teachings that they will find rest in Him. It is also an invitation to those who don’t know Him
Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Those who are weak will find strength in submitting to Him. He offers us rest from the guilt of sin, and from the toils of this life that weighs us down. He offers an ear to not only hear our problems but also gave us the Holy Spirit, and the Bible to solve them. There is nothing so satisfying and refreshing as taking time to be with Jesus. There have been times my soul was so burdened and sad that I couldn’t focus on anything but the burden. It was as if a cloud was hovering over me and consuming my strength. It was in these moments that I could almost hear that small voice saying, “bring it to me.” He is not only able to take our load, but He also longs for us to rest in Him.
So much of the time we miss the opportunity of rest because we seek to “work it out” on our own. Our pride tells us we can handle it. We have always been in control of our situations, and even though it is weighing us down, we keep on trying to handle them. This is the opposite of what Jesus is saying in this passage. He does not want us to be self-sufficient, but rather God-sufficient.
We are invited to take His yoke. A yoke was an article in biblical times that was very familiar to those He was speaking to. It was a wooden crosspiece that was fastened over the necks of two animals, usually oxen. It is attached to a plow or cart that they are to pull together. The purpose is to keep them pulling in the same direction. So, when Jesus tells his audience His yoke is easy, He is saying, put it on, I’ll carry the load and you’ll always be with me. We will be locked together so your burden will be lite.
While being in His constant presence you will learn of His ways and His character. The more you learn the easier it will be to allow Him to carry it for you. Your confidence and trust in Him will grow, and you will understand His ability to take care of you and your burdens are unlimited. This is a rest for the soul, a rest where the uneasiness life brings is laid down. It is not a rest like you get when you sit down to watch a tv program. That rest usually conjures up a desire for something else. We see things advertised and think we need them. Then the unrest is present again. This is a rest that satisfies the soul, a rest that gives us peace in the middle of the storm, it is a rest that keeps us from falling into pieces when all around us the pieces are falling. It is a rest that doesn’t understand what’s happening but is ok because we know that God is in control. This is the rest that Jesus offers to all. If you are a Christian, are you taking advantage of this satisfying rest? If you are still a seeker, it is a rest you can begin today. To both groups of people, it is a choice and only you can make it for yourself.
