Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Just two verses which isn't a lot in length but contains so much.
Come to me - He says.
He doesn't just call, He calls and promises. He calls to all "who labor and are burdened" (everyone).
He invites "I will give you rest."
Rest just sounds wonderful. Truly. Both as I'm physically and mentally tired from the adventures life has thrown at me and yet I'm never too tired for the call. I've been reflecting on the stations of the cross a new thing to me as I didn't grow up Catholic. Honestly one of the most beautiful things though. I start them at bedtime and while I don't get through all 14 before I fall asleep, I come to rest contemplating the journey my Lord walked for me and I pick up where I left off the next night. As I pray on this I learn so much about his humility and meekness. So much about the steps He took and what He could have said or done in pride. By His stripes we are healed and He bore each one patiently and humbly.
He tell us "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light."
Take His yoke and learn from Him. Learn to be meek and humble of heart.
When I place my world: my doubts, my fears, my struggles in the hands of God, when I subtract my pride and cut out my will and hand Him everything that's already His there is rest. Yet too often I find I forget the first step to rest. I stand there holding it all and asking for rest and I'm sure Jesus has a good chuckle because this gospel reading is one I know well and it plays in my mind in flashes. "I will give you rest."
Friends in our world we aren't about rest. We aren't about quiet or humble and meek. We celebrate pride, we promote busy-ness and call it business. Work isn't wrong but when you forget the purpose of work you lose it's value. When you forget that the job or vocation is a means to your life and not your life itself it's easy to lose who you are and become the job. You friend are so much more than what you produce. Your productions are beautiful but even if you produced nothing you would be worth everything. For our worth isn't measured in dollars or certifications, letters behind our name or items we own. Our very worth is defined by Him who adopted us as sons and daughters and said "I will give you rest." Sometimes the loudness of the world is almost deafening. Between the news, the media, the social media, the text messages and phone calls and mail. Between the alarm clocks and deadlines and responsibility the message gets fuzzy and we start to ask "When can I have rest?" Where's my break? Vacation?
He already promised it before you even existed. He spoke into existence His rest. To take His yoke- to let Him lead us, to learn from Him and His heart. This is rest. This is comfort. To know we aren't going it alone. To know He will never leave us or forsake us and to rest in His mercy. No matter what your facing today big or small He can give you rest.
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Just two verses which isn't a lot in length but contains so much.
Come to me - He says.
He doesn't just call, He calls and promises. He calls to all "who labor and are burdened" (everyone).
He invites "I will give you rest."
Rest just sounds wonderful. Truly. Both as I'm physically and mentally tired from the adventures life has thrown at me and yet I'm never too tired for the call. I've been reflecting on the stations of the cross a new thing to me as I didn't grow up Catholic. Honestly one of the most beautiful things though. I start them at bedtime and while I don't get through all 14 before I fall asleep, I come to rest contemplating the journey my Lord walked for me and I pick up where I left off the next night. As I pray on this I learn so much about his humility and meekness. So much about the steps He took and what He could have said or done in pride. By His stripes we are healed and He bore each one patiently and humbly.
He tell us "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light."
Take His yoke and learn from Him. Learn to be meek and humble of heart.
When I place my world: my doubts, my fears, my struggles in the hands of God, when I subtract my pride and cut out my will and hand Him everything that's already His there is rest. Yet too often I find I forget the first step to rest. I stand there holding it all and asking for rest and I'm sure Jesus has a good chuckle because this gospel reading is one I know well and it plays in my mind in flashes. "I will give you rest."
Friends in our world we aren't about rest. We aren't about quiet or humble and meek. We celebrate pride, we promote busy-ness and call it business. Work isn't wrong but when you forget the purpose of work you lose it's value. When you forget that the job or vocation is a means to your life and not your life itself it's easy to lose who you are and become the job. You friend are so much more than what you produce. Your productions are beautiful but even if you produced nothing you would be worth everything. For our worth isn't measured in dollars or certifications, letters behind our name or items we own. Our very worth is defined by Him who adopted us as sons and daughters and said "I will give you rest." Sometimes the loudness of the world is almost deafening. Between the news, the media, the social media, the text messages and phone calls and mail. Between the alarm clocks and deadlines and responsibility the message gets fuzzy and we start to ask "When can I have rest?" Where's my break? Vacation?
He already promised it before you even existed. He spoke into existence His rest. To take His yoke- to let Him lead us, to learn from Him and His heart. This is rest. This is comfort. To know we aren't going it alone. To know He will never leave us or forsake us and to rest in His mercy. No matter what your facing today big or small He can give you rest.
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