"Take Rest in Jesus"
GOOD MORNING!
DEVOTIONAL:
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29
In a world full of noise, chaos and confusion, almost nothing is more precious than genuine rest. We long to have anxieties lifted, comfort provided, peace restored, and joy in our hearts. Be assured, God does provide genuine rest for the Christian.
Jesus explains how genuine rest comes, by His grace, through purposeful action. In Matthew 11: 28-29, Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Taking up Jesus’ yoke doesn’t earn salvation, but for those who know God through faith in Jesus Christ, purposeful action leads to experiencing supernatural genuine rest. Jesus tells us to come to Him, take up His yoke, and learn from Him.
Putting this into practical terms, coming to Jesus means drawing near to Him to talk with Him and to spiritually and emotionally connect with Him. Without a rich prayer life, we do not feel close to Him and do not experience strengthening in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Learning from Jesus means studying and following His life-giving commandments. The teachings of Jesus are good and life-giving. To the extent we learn and live them, our hearts are put at rest. When we go our own way, we experience all the burdens of our short-sighted choices.
Rest for our souls comes as we walk in devotion to God giving attention to Him and His priorities. When we confess our sins, God forgives us and releases us from the burdens of those sins.
Genuine rest doesn’t result from doing nothing, but comes as we expend effort to draw close to the only One who can put our hearts at rest. Christ Himself is our rest.
Jesus invites us, "Come to Me," and He promises, "I will give you rest."
Much love and care,
Pastor Pat
Greece Assembly of God
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