Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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 (NASB)
We have been talking about the "use of time" this week in our quest to make good improvements in our lives for 2023. We discovered that establishing priorities and finding helpful partners is essential. Rather than looking at "priorities" and "partners" in general terms for managing the use of time in our everyday lives, we have looked at them from the spiritual side and the use of our time for that which counts for eternity. Like the world, we overdo it with the time and concern we invest in the basic human needs of life and the "use of time" associated with them. Consequently, we allow the spiritual side and that which counts for eternity to get squeezed out of the equation.
Today's passage continues with this spiritual side, and it begins with an invitation from Christ. He simply says to us, "Come to me." Jesus knows the toll that is taken on the life of a person who gets it all wrong in terms of priorities and partners. People everywhere are weary and heavy-laden and desperately in need of rest. It is to the weary and heavy-laden that Jesus extends the invitation to come and find rest in him. When we respond to his invitation and come to him, we come into his presence. It is in his presence that he begins the process of bringing us to a place of rest.
It begins with accepting and taking upon ourselves his yoke (my yoke is easy, and my burden is light). This means that we place ourselves under his authority and control. This makes it possible for us to learn from him. He shows us his gentle and humble heart and we are changed forever. Being in his presence and truly experiencing him, is what "partaking" of Christ (Thursday) is all about. The more we partake of Christ day in and day out, the more we grow up in all aspects into Him (Friday). This is how rest for our souls comes about. This is how our lives become transformed into a "come to me" lifestyle where we rest in Christ, and he becomes the one who lives his life in us and through us.
Lord, I come to you with all my weariness and all that has made me into a heavy-laden person. Release me from this yoke and grant me rest. I willing take your yoke upon myself. Show me yourself and help me learn from you. Teach me how to be in your presence and to experience you in the fullness of who you are. Lead me into a lifestyle of coming to you so that my life is your doing and I truly become one who finds ongoing rest for my soul. Amen!
