by Charles Sibthorpe
When you say, “I need some rest!” You might be thinking of spending a little longer in bed, or you might mean you want to take a break from certain responsibilities. However, when Jesus spoke about “rest” he was not thinking of either of these situations.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you ….. for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29). The “rest” Jesus was speaking about was not an absence of activity, or simply doing nothing; it was a deep inner rest that comes from relying on the strength Jesus gives and not on your own ability.
So, are you driven by the tyranny of the urgent, or the demands of people around you? Or, are you working from a place of complete rest, not trusting you own strength or wisdom, but drawing your energy and resources from Jesus?
The writer to the Hebrews has a similar message, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enter God’s rest also rests from his own work…..” (Hebrews 4:9-10)
If we will bring our responsibilities and schedules to Jesus each day, he will enable us to fulfil the tasks of the day – not under pressure - but from a place of rest. Does this sound impossible? It is not.
The Message has a wonderfully fresh rendering of the words of Jesus in Matthew 11, here they are - “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me –watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
In our stress filled world – there is a place of rest. Live there!
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