Finding Rest in a Weary World

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

At some level, we all take on the heavy burdens of this world.  We all seek to escape from the stress filled grind that most of us experience in some form from day to day.  Jesus invites all of us who labor and are carrying burdens to come to Him.  He promises that He will provide us with the rest that we need. 

But be assured that "I will give you rest" does not mean "I will hold your hand while you lay in bed languishing in your burdens."  It means, "I will pull you out of the darkened state that you are in.  I will pull you from the oppression of the enemy.  I will give you the spirit of a new life, but I expect you to let go of your old life."  

Why do we insist on hanging on to the old things that do nothing but hinder our progress toward finding the rest that is promised to us?  Why do we accept anything less than the full measure that God has set aside for us?  It is all about our commitment.  When we come to Jesus, we are committing to leave everything of this world behind in exchange for a personal relationship with Our Savior.

Let us abandon the callings of our flesh as we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and allow His Spirit to guide all that we do.  Let us take victory over all of our trials as we live in submission to Our Savior.  Let us receive the peace that He promises us as we respond to His command, "Come to Me."

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing a refuge for us - a place where we can be free from the burdens that the world tries to lay on us.  We praise You for providing the comfort that we can find nowhere else except through our relationship with Your Son, Jesus.  May we be drawn by the Holy Spirit to respond to the words of promise, "Come unto me."  May we learn to live our lives in the vitality and might that You offer us in Christ.  We ask all these things in the name of the One who provides our comfort, Jesus Christ.