To Give Us Rest
Jesus calls us to “Come” to Him.
“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.’” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Jesus says, “Come to me,” and He specifically speaks to those who are weary and carry heavy burdens. Is that you? Are you carrying a weight of your circumstances and sin? Jesus calls us to “Come” to Him. He came to provide the greatest relief from our circumstances, which is salvation and forgiveness of sin through His sacrifice on the cross.
Jesus’ help is available to us beyond that moment of salvation as well. He is there to help us as we navigate the challenges of this earthly life.
When you face difficulties, what is your first response? Is it to go to Jesus with your problem? “Come” requires action on your part – you have to take the step to reach out to Him. We don’t have to have our lives cleaned up and packaged neatly before we go to Him. Jesus is available to us in the mess of our own sinfulness (that’s the weight we feel) and, when we surrender our life to Him, He helps us to live in a God-honoring way and find His promise of rest.
Have you ever seen a yoke? When you picture them on oxen, they look heavy and restricting. So, at first thought, taking on Jesus’ yoke could give us the impression of taking on weight to carry. Yet what does a yoke do? It keeps the oxen side by side, pulling together for the same purpose, so they can be far more effective together than what one could accomplish on their own.
Doesn’t that sound like relief? You can take on Jesus’ yoke and walk with Him. If we take on His yoke (essentially attach ourselves to Him and be in step with Him), He forgives us of sin and will help us to navigate the situations of life in a way that is God-honoring. He’ll be pulling you through – you aren’t on your own. He wants to teach you so that you can follow in His ways and pattern your life after Him.
Our soul finds rest and comes from being in relationship with Jesus and knowing Him. When we take on His yoke, we are connecting ourselves to Him, spending time with Him and learning from Him the best way to live life.
As you think about what this means for you, here are some next steps:
Jesus says, “Come to me,” and He specifically speaks to those who are weary and carry heavy burdens. Is that you? Are you carrying a weight of your circumstances and sin? Jesus calls us to “Come” to Him. He came to provide the greatest relief from our circumstances, which is salvation and forgiveness of sin through His sacrifice on the cross.
Jesus’ help is available to us beyond that moment of salvation as well. He is there to help us as we navigate the challenges of this earthly life.
When you face difficulties, what is your first response? Is it to go to Jesus with your problem? “Come” requires action on your part – you have to take the step to reach out to Him. We don’t have to have our lives cleaned up and packaged neatly before we go to Him. Jesus is available to us in the mess of our own sinfulness (that’s the weight we feel) and, when we surrender our life to Him, He helps us to live in a God-honoring way and find His promise of rest.
Have you ever seen a yoke? When you picture them on oxen, they look heavy and restricting. So, at first thought, taking on Jesus’ yoke could give us the impression of taking on weight to carry. Yet what does a yoke do? It keeps the oxen side by side, pulling together for the same purpose, so they can be far more effective together than what one could accomplish on their own.
Doesn’t that sound like relief? You can take on Jesus’ yoke and walk with Him. If we take on His yoke (essentially attach ourselves to Him and be in step with Him), He forgives us of sin and will help us to navigate the situations of life in a way that is God-honoring. He’ll be pulling you through – you aren’t on your own. He wants to teach you so that you can follow in His ways and pattern your life after Him.
Our soul finds rest and comes from being in relationship with Jesus and knowing Him. When we take on His yoke, we are connecting ourselves to Him, spending time with Him and learning from Him the best way to live life.
As you think about what this means for you, here are some next steps:
- If you don’t know Jesus, His words to you are to “Come.” You can ask Him to forgive you of your sins, take that weight off of you, and you will find rest for your soul.
- Maybe you have a relationship with Jesus and are wanting your life to look more and more like Him. One of the very best ways is to read God’s Word. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, and it is our instructions for life! If you aren’t reading the Bible at all, I encourage you to start with one chapter a day. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) are a great place to start. If you read the Bible but are inconsistent, I encourage you to take a next step toward being more consistent. Knowing the Word of God will help you know the heart and ways of God and equip you for life.
- You can pray. God is always available to hear you. You can seek His will for your life and take your concerns and needs before Him.
Verse to Memorize
“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.’” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Pursue the Promises
Throughout 2024, every Monday morning by 7:00 AM, we will post a new video from Pastor Shane or an article written by a member of our staff that connects to that month’s featured promise. Learn more.
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