Rest for the Weary
Are you carrying an impossibly heavy burden? Are you trying to manage a massive load all by yourself? Are there wounds and worries that are weighing down your soul?
It doesn’t have to be this way …
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
Jesus wasn’t saying to come to Him and do nothing. He’s not saying to quit your job and abandon your life and move to a deserted island. This isn’t a call to be idle, but an invitation to rest—and to work from rest.
A yoke is a device used for joining two animals together for a purpose like farm work—for plowing a field or pulling a heavy load. As always, two are stronger than one.
Jesus’ mention of the yoke implies there is still work to be done, but we don’t have to do it alone.
You have a Savior who is humble and gentle, whose compassion is deep and whose love is wide. He is so wild about you that He left the glories of heaven and became human to suffer and die—in order that you might live.
We must draw near to the One who carried the biggest burden of all—the sin and rebellion of the world. The One who conquered death and defeated the grave will eventually redeem all things … once and for all.
God longs for us to come close, to fall in step beside Him, and to lean into His grace. Why? Because we thrive when we live and work from a place of genuine rest.
He’s inviting you to come. Will you? If you’re not sure where to start, simply ask Him for help.
God Never Changes
Between the year 640 to 608 BC, the prophet Zephaniah spoke to the people of Israel. He warned them of God’s judgment, but he also reminded them of God’s promise for their future.
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
We aren’t the people of Israel in 640 BC hearing this, but, as students of God’s Word, we can also find comfort in Zephaniah’s words.
We know that God came into our midst through Jesus and that He gave us His Spirit when we believed (John 1:14; Galatians 4:6). We also know that we are deeply loved by God (1 John 4:16). Paul teaches that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus when we pray to Him (Philippians 4:6-7).
So although we are not Zephaniah’s original audience, we can find comfort in knowing that God is the same throughout all generations. He is still in our...