He Will Give You Rest

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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 NASB

Rest...It’s a word we hear often enough, but do we really understand its importance in our lives?  We need to learn how to experience rest.  If all we needed was physical rest we can always take a nap.  If we needed only emotional rest, we can always take a vacation.  But where can we find spiritual rest…rest for our souls?  How can we obtain relief regarding the deepest issues of life at the deepest level of our hearts?   

Jesus spoke to this very issue 2000 years ago in Matthew 11:28-30.  Today this scripture passage is still relavant to our lives.  We understand this passage and even quote it often but not very many of us have  learned to actually do this.  On average Americans don’t value rest and relaxation. On the contrary, we’ve made a virtue of being a workaholic; we brag about how busy we are, as if the hectic pace of our lives is proof that we’re important and significant. We feel guilty when we’re not working, and we’re suspicious of anyone else who removes their nose from the grindstone for too long.

"Come to Me ... and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28aThis call from Christ is yours to answer.  Jesus says, “If you are worn out from your burden, come over here to Me.” It shows the willingness of the Lord to meet us at the point of our need.  Kings and leaders are usually difficult to access.  But Jesus is not only willing, but invites us, to come to Him.  What a gracious invitation this is! We have the privilege of connecting with God through the ultimate fulfillment of God’s Law, Jesus Christ.  In Christ, we have the embodiment of the Sabbath, the fulfillment of the Sabbath because in Christ we have found our rest! 

Three aspects of rest we have in Christ:

·  First we receive the Sinner’s Rest when we receive salvation through faith in Christ.
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."  Psalm 62:1-2  What a magnificent blessing we receive when we Christ becomes our Savior!  All of those heavy, discouraging burdens are lifted from our shoulders by Jesus when we fall at His feet and receive His love.  

·  Second we have the Shepherd's Rest secured in Christ.  
For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. Zephaniah 3:17  What a wonderful promise of peace or calmness which was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ!  

·  Finally we have the Servant's Rest in service with Christ.  The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and what they had taught. Then Jesus said, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest."  Mark 6:30-31. There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat.  Where some would feel there was no time to rest, Jesus saw it as a necessity. 

Rest Rest is a part of life that cannot be ignored without paying a price.  Jesus offers to take our burdens and give us the rest we need.  We will continue to look at rest and what it means to really find a Sabbath in this crazy busy life more this week.  For now, let Him have your burdens and give you rest.