Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Rest for the Weary (Matt. 11:28-30)

Don't you love Jesus' invitation in Matt. 11:28-30 to those who are weary? I return to this passage often. The word for "weary" refers to weariness after a struggle. It's the result of toil and labor. And the "rest" Jesus promises us? This is not the kind of rest that requires you to take a day off. It doesn't require a sabbatical. It's not referring to laying out for a year so you can recover. This is the rest that goes on midstream, right through your normal day. My day today will be no less busy than my Monday was yesterday. I still worked out. 

I still ran. 

But through it all, I found rest for my soul. It's what I call "restful rushing." It's a mental, emotional, volitional rest. It's a deliberate entering into a world of peace. It means "casting all your cares upon him, for it matters to him about you." 

"Come to me, Dave," Jesus said to me this morning. "Come, just as you are. Let me share your load. Just come." Today, when I heard that voice, I fell on my face and said, "Lord, again I have tried to live life on my own. Please forgive me. You are right. I need to share my load with you. You've invited me to come. Right now, Lord, I am coming back to you." 

This is not a particularly brilliant thought, I know. But it's something to remember on those days when we wake up weary.