Text: Matt. 11: 28-29
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus regularly invited people to follow Him. Normally, His invitation sounded something like, “whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me”. But in another famous iteration on His well-known invitation, Jesus appealed to all the tired, weary and burned out, and simply said, “Come find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light”
This is an open invite from Jesus to a life of rest, not just for our bodies – we can get that from a doctor, but for our souls. And yet, his imagery of an easy yoke is a little bit odd. A yoke is a tool for work, used to harness oxen together to plow a field. That sounds like the last thing a burned out worker needs – the tired among us don’t want a yoke no matter how easy it might be, they will prefer a vacation!
But Jesus is wise beyond comprehension and so understands better than any of us can that life is an unending series of burdens. There’s no way around the weight of responsibility that this life brings our way. What we need isn’t an escape from that weight, but a way to carry it with ease and joy. That’s what Jesus offers – a way to carry the weight of life with a straight back and a smile on your face.
Today many are groaning under the increasing burden of the problems of these life that confronts them daily. These problems have persisted for long and there appears to be no relief in sight. For some it is financial burden, and to lighten this burden many have resorted to working long hours, taking up multiple jobs to generate multiple streams of income, these however has not had the desired or the expected impact. Some are groaning under the burden of marital crisis that has defied all effort to resolve and restore peace. When it comes to the issue of being burdened and weary, the tale of woe is endless and many as I type this now are at their wits end and do not know what to do.
This invitation of Jesus is the cure they need, it is the way out that will lead them to the rest they so much desire The invitation still stand today for all those who are interested, you will notice that the invitation is not just to some select people, it is for all people. All that is required is for them to approach Jesus in faith and He will take their yoke off them and give them rest.
As a child of God this invitation is not just for your personal benefit, it also serves as a means by which you can invite others around you to Christ. Look around you, who are those around you that are distressed and weary? Who are those around you that are groaning under the yoke of one burden or the other placed upon their lives? That is your chance to approach them and introduce Jesus to them. Let them know that rest is available for them in Christ if only they will turn to Him. For every soul you win to Christ this way there will be celebrations in heaven and your reward with God is sure. Shalom
Prayer Points
1. Lord Jesus, thank you so much that you love me so much that you are willing and ready to carry my burden.
2. Lord in response to your invitation, I submit all my burdens to you, please take them off me
3. Lord in response to your invitation, I break away from every yoke that has weighed heavily upon me and that has weighed me down for a long time, I receive freedom now in Jesus name.
4. Lord in exchange for past groaning, pain and unrest, I receive your rest now in Jesus name
5. Lord please grant me grace not just to enjoy your rest, but to introduce your rest to others in Jesus name
