“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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 (NIV)
Weary? Burdened? Loaded down? Living under numbing anxiety? Run to Jesus. His pity ignites Him and He oozes with tender compassion towards us. He is willing to receive, His arms opened wide in acceptance. Indeed, He is mercifully more willing to receive than we are to run. He knows how difficult this trek is through this dusty earth to our heavenly home and He wants to give us His rest and perfect peace.
“Rest” is such a yummy word is it not? It conjures up in our minds lazy mornings in our P.J.’s with a cup of coffee and a Bible in hand just enjoying being with the Master – no rush, just rest. Indeed, Moses writes in Deuteronomy 33:12: “Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.” Our Lord is gentle and lowly in heart. Meek, humble, approachable – that is Who He is. And He is Who He is all the time – He never changes. His posture exuding open arms and not pointed fingers.
We all know that as believers we will doubtful be carried to heaven on a bed of down. Indeed, our Savior went there via the cross. Why should we think it will be any different for His followers? When these trials press hard against us, His desire is for us to run to Him, allowing Him to sweep us into His loving and tender embrace. He is desirous for us to know that His heart is both gentle and lowly towards us. It is His very heart – because Jesus said so and He proves it throughout the Gospels.
Why wait to find ourselves at our wits end to turn to Him? “Come” is His plea. Indeed, run to Him. He is the ultimate lifter of our heads as His merciful affections stream from His heart as rays from the sun.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)