His Word: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Observation & Obedience: Our focus for the month has been on rest and peace. We’ve seen how the only one who can give us real rest and perfect peace is God alone. Today we will look at how this can happen.
In His Word, Jesus is inviting those who are weary and burdened to come to him. Interestingly, he adds another command that is often overlooked. Not only are we to come to him for rest, we are to also learn from him. Jesus is our best example of someone with a gentle and humble heart. What kind of image does this description create in your mind?
During his three years of ministry on earth, do you think Jesus ever got stressed out? Do you think he stayed awake at night worrying about his followers and what would happen to them when he was gone? I wonder if he ever took on too many responsibilities or suffered from burn out? Did he ever get confused about his purpose and lose confidence in what he was doing?
Because he was walking closely with God, his Father, he was able to depend on him to give him rest when he most needed it. We know that Jesus experienced the same physical and emotional reactions to stress and fatigue as we do. But his response was always to get away and pray (Matthew 14:23) and to bring his burdens to God and leave them with him.
If we are to have the real rest and perfect peace God offers us, we must look to Jesus’ example and learn from him. Are you worried or anxious? Be confident in God’s power. He will never desert you. Do you see no hope for the future? Be courageous and call upon God. Are you grieving? Know that God hears your suffering and will comfort you. Are you confused? Listen to the quiet voice of your heavenly Father. He is not a God of confusion. Talk to him; listen to him and follow his commandments.
What are you doing with your burdens? Are you carrying them around until you are so weary you can’t take another step? This is not the life Jesus came to give us, one of heaviness of heart and stressful souls. Our responsibility is to come to him with our cares. His promise is to give us rest. What would your life look like if you laid your burdens at God’s feet?
I Peter 5:7 tells us to Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Carrying your worries, stresses and daily struggles by yourself shows that you don’t trust God with your life. It takes a humble heart to recognize that God cares and to admit our need for help. Is this hard for you to do?
Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolish choices are not God’s concern. But when we bring them to God with a heart of humility and repentance, God will bear the weight of them. Letting God have your anxieties, worries, burdens and cares calls for action.
Prayer: “Dear God, I’m weary from carrying the stresses and burdens of my life. I don’t know why I think I can do a better job at it than you! I need to follow your example and learn from you. I want to be someone with a gentle and humble heart. Today I am choosing to trust you and give all my anxiety to you. You are more than capable to handle whatever I bring. Psalm 55:22 assures me that when I cast my cares on you, you will sustain me and never let me fall. Thank You for this promise. Amen.”
Encouragement: As a child of God, rest in the knowledge that your Savior precedes you, and he will walk with you through each experience of your life. Henry Blackaby
What can you do today that will lighten the load you’re carrying?
No comments:
Post a Comment