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.”
THEME OF THE DAY. AN INVITATION TO REST. One of the many wonders of God’s Word is the invitations the Lord extends to us as expressions of His love. So often when we need a special touch from Him, we will come across a gracious invitation in His Word meeting us at our precise point of need. Today’s scripture is one of those invitations. And it is an invitation all of us need quite often in this life. It is an invitation for rest; soul rest, heart rest, mind rest . . . the calming and soothing of our entire being from Him who is the only one able to provide all the various forms of rest we need. Yet, like all invitations – divine and earthly – they must be acted upon. Jesus extends rest to us but it must be responded to. So, with that opening, let’s consider two responsibilities that are ours if we want to experience the rest Jesus offers.
First, we must come to Jesus for rest – “Come to me”. Don’t jump on the obvious of what I just wrote. There is a very real and dangerous subtlety Christians must keep aware of when seeking spiritual rest. Notice where the rest is not found. It is not found in a church. Too many Christians seek a “pure and perfect” church, even looking, maybe unawares, for the church to give them what only Jesus provides. Friends, the church is not and will not be pure and perfect in this life. For sure, she is vital and necessary for our spiritual growth so don’t abandon her or give up on her because she isn’t pure and perfect. God doesn’t and neither should we. We also cannot expect the church to provide what only Jesus can. Yes, love the church, be the church, but don’t put upon her spiritual expectations she was never intended to fulfill. The church is the wonderful family of God where we gather together to enjoy the Head of the church, the Lord Jesus, who is our only source of true inward contentment. Remember, Jesus gives the invitation to come to Him for rest, not church.
Next, we must be yielded to His will and direction in our lives – “Take my yoke upon you.” There will be no soul rest if we are resisting His will and guidance. Should we be harboring sin, indulging our flesh, and getting too close to the world, Christians will not experience Christ’s rest. Just the opposite. They will experience the inward turmoil of His chastening rod. We simply cannot know the glorious freedom of Christ’s restful peace if we are rebellious to or not actively seeking obedience to His revealed will. And like literal oxen or cattle who wear only one yoke at a time, so must we. To wear Christ’s yoke is to be under His authoritative direction which leads to peace and rest. To wear our yoke is to be under His authoritative discipline which leads to lack of peace and no rest.
The God of all grace and comfort extends to us the wonderful invitation to be freed from the unrest and turmoil of living in a complex and confused world. In this invitation is the glorious rest and peace of God that provides contentment and joy. May God help us to respond to this invitation with the requirements He demands so we may enjoy the fruits of His invitation.
PRAYER: “Lord, I praise You for being my comfort and strength when I have neither within myself.”
QUOTE: “When tired and weary, don’t go to the world for rest; go to the Word – Living and Written for true rest.”
In the Affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim