Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Today this scripture struck me like never before. I have heard it quoted so many times. I have heard it preached on so many times. And I have even quoted it and taken it out of context. Matter of fact, I don’t know that I had ever heard it taught or even thought of it in it’s right context. I have always thought of and heard it taught in the context as follows…
If you are a Christian and you are tired, burned out, exhausted… come to me, I will give you rest. But that’s wrong!
You see just before this passage Jesus is telling those who didn’t believe in Him that it would be better for Sodom than for them on the day of judgement. Jesus was talking to people who had decided not to follow Him but rather they had chosen to go their own way.
This afternoon I had a conversation with a man who had been in jail with a gentleman that would wake up every night screaming the name of his son who had died a tragic death because of a really bad decision. He described how this man would wail and cry for most of the night, every night. And it struck me, this is who Jesus was talking to.
Have you been doing things your own way? That’s what sin is, doing it my way rather than God’s way. “I did it my way”
How is that working out for you? Are you tired? Are you exhausted? Are you sick of being sick and tired because of bad decisions and terrible actions?
Jesus says, come to me and find rest. Come to me and find peace. Come to me and you will find out my way may not be easy but it will allow you to rest and be at peace.
I want to find this gentleman and say to him, In the name of Jesus, you are forgiven. Maybe there is someone you know tonight that needs to hear these words. Go and offer them peace that passes all understanding. Not an easy life but a blessed life.
Ronnie