Day 13 - Come and Rest
Day 13 - Come and Rest
Written By: Joy Hardin
SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Matthew 11:28-30
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)
DEVOTION
Earlier in Matthew Jesus addressed his message to multiple groups of people. Here in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus gives a personal invitation to anyone who will receive it: “Come, take my yoke, and rest.”
Are you weary and overburdened? This burden refers to the weight of our sin or our spiritual anxiety. “My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4, NLT). This is a load we can’t carry. Sometimes it may feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders, like the mythological character Atlas. Although this fictional character was only said to hold up the sky, Jesus did actually carry the weight of the world’s sins to the cross.
Think of your best vacation and all the work needed to make it happen. Shopping prices and finding a place to go, researching restaurants and things to do, packing for yourself and all you need for the kids, getting someone to watch your house and your dog, and the list goes on. By the time you get to your vacation spot you need an extra week. Usually after you get home with the unpacking, laundry, mowing the overgrown lawn, etc. you need another vacation. Most of us have a few vacation nightmares we can share: flat tires, relatives who heard you were in the area and crashed your party, the kids got sick or injured, you lost your wallet or passport, and the time of rest was a disaster. Even our best vacations are usually a lot of work, and we don’t always get the relaxation and rest we so badly need.
Jesus offers to “give” us rest if we will “take” his yoke. It almost sounds like a contradiction, to take a yoke and get rest until we discover what Jesus means. The rest Jesus offers is a refreshing, spiritual rest. We don’t have to do any of the work. We simply take or accept his yoke, and we do this by surrender and submission to his authority.
In Judaism “yoke” was a common metaphor for the Law as a means to salvation. We know that no amount of keeping the Law or being good will get us to heaven. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT). Jesus was and is offering a yoke of grace and not of works. The interesting thing about a yoke is that it is meant for two. Jesus does not intend for us to do life alone. He wants to carry the load with us.
In the busyness and stress of life, it’s easy to find ourselves weary and exhausted, trying to do more, be more, and get more. We need rest for our souls. This is what Jesus offers to all who will come to him and surrender to his yoke.
ACTION STEP
Take a few minutes and recall (hopefully with laughter) your worst or most disastrous vacation. Aren’t you tired thinking about it?
When and where can you go to be refreshed? Make a plan and write it on your calendar to regularly rest and be refreshed in Jesus. As Dallas Willard said, “Arrange your days so that you experience total contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God.”
PRAYER TIME
Father, you know my weariness and my worries. Help me to put my trust in you and find your rest. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT).
SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Matthew 11:28-30
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)
DEVOTION
Earlier in Matthew Jesus addressed his message to multiple groups of people. Here in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus gives a personal invitation to anyone who will receive it: “Come, take my yoke, and rest.”
Are you weary and overburdened? This burden refers to the weight of our sin or our spiritual anxiety. “My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4, NLT). This is a load we can’t carry. Sometimes it may feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders, like the mythological character Atlas. Although this fictional character was only said to hold up the sky, Jesus did actually carry the weight of the world’s sins to the cross.
Think of your best vacation and all the work needed to make it happen. Shopping prices and finding a place to go, researching restaurants and things to do, packing for yourself and all you need for the kids, getting someone to watch your house and your dog, and the list goes on. By the time you get to your vacation spot you need an extra week. Usually after you get home with the unpacking, laundry, mowing the overgrown lawn, etc. you need another vacation. Most of us have a few vacation nightmares we can share: flat tires, relatives who heard you were in the area and crashed your party, the kids got sick or injured, you lost your wallet or passport, and the time of rest was a disaster. Even our best vacations are usually a lot of work, and we don’t always get the relaxation and rest we so badly need.
Jesus offers to “give” us rest if we will “take” his yoke. It almost sounds like a contradiction, to take a yoke and get rest until we discover what Jesus means. The rest Jesus offers is a refreshing, spiritual rest. We don’t have to do any of the work. We simply take or accept his yoke, and we do this by surrender and submission to his authority.
In Judaism “yoke” was a common metaphor for the Law as a means to salvation. We know that no amount of keeping the Law or being good will get us to heaven. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT). Jesus was and is offering a yoke of grace and not of works. The interesting thing about a yoke is that it is meant for two. Jesus does not intend for us to do life alone. He wants to carry the load with us.
In the busyness and stress of life, it’s easy to find ourselves weary and exhausted, trying to do more, be more, and get more. We need rest for our souls. This is what Jesus offers to all who will come to him and surrender to his yoke.
ACTION STEP
Take a few minutes and recall (hopefully with laughter) your worst or most disastrous vacation. Aren’t you tired thinking about it?
When and where can you go to be refreshed? Make a plan and write it on your calendar to regularly rest and be refreshed in Jesus. As Dallas Willard said, “Arrange your days so that you experience total contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God.”
PRAYER TIME
Father, you know my weariness and my worries. Help me to put my trust in you and find your rest. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT).
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January 9th, 2023 - Adventure AwaitsJanuary 10th, 2023 - The Burning BushJanuary 11th, 2023 - Strong and Courageous January 12th, 2023 - Obediently Set ApartJanuary 13th, 2023 - Faithful Among Enemy NationsJanuary 14th, 2023 - Adventure AwaitsJanuary 16th, 2023 - Be StillJanuary 17th, 2023 - God Inhabits His PraisesJanuary 18th, 2023 - Enjoying God's PresenceJanuary 19th, 2023 - Broken & Contrite HeartJanuary 20th, 2023 - Asking for OthersJanuary 21st, 2023 - Petition and ProvisionJanuary 23rd, 2023 - One Body, Many PartsJanuary 24th, 2023 - Love One AnotherJanuary 25th, 2023 - Unity in the BodyJanuary 26th, 2023 - Consider Others BetterJanuary 27th, 2023 - Living in the LightJanuary 28th, 2023 - Don't Let Anger Control YouJanuary 30, 2023 - The Power of FastingJanuary 31st, 2023 - Pray as You Can
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February 1st, 2023 - ScriptureFebruary 2nd, 2023 - Sabbath Day, Best DayFebruary 3rd, 2023 - SimplicityFebruary 4th, 2023 - WorshipFebruary 6th, 2023 - Love Your NeighborFebruary 7th, 2023 - Come and See, Go and TellFebruary 8th, 2023 - GenerosityFebruary 9th, 2023 - Caring for the VulnerableFebruary 10, 2023 - HospitalityFebruary 11th, 2023 - Build
2022
January
Covid UpdateDay 1 - Is It Worth It?Day 2 - God Promises His PresenceDay 3 - Aligning Ourselves With GodDay 4 - The Voice of the ShepherdVision 2022 - Begins this Sunday!Day 5 - Rushing or Resting?Day 6 - "By the Grace of God"Day 7 - A Day for Rest and WorshipDay 8 - Ask Boldly and Surrender CompletelyDay 9 - Our Deliverance for His GloryDay 10 - Ask for the ImpossibleDay 11 - Adversity Meets Unwavering FaithWhat an incredible start to 2022!!Day 12 - Focus Reveals FaithDay 13 - Impossible Mission!Day 15 - Followers of JesusDay 16 - The Good News of God’s LoveDay 17 - Radical Love Leads People to JesusLet's Try this Again...Day 18 - Relentless CommitmentDay 19 - Unending Power SourceDay 20 - Come and See, Go and TellDay 22 - Many Parts, One BodyDay 23 - A New Command - Love One AnotherDay 24 - One Body and One LordDay 25 - Be Angry, But Do Not SinDo you Belong?Day 26 - The Commandment of LoveDay 27 - The Attitude and Obedience of Christ
March
Day 1 - Seeking the Lord TogetherDay 2 - Ash WednesdayDay 3 - The Baptism of JesusDay 4 - The Word as a WeaponDay 5 - Freedom in ConfessionDay 6 - Love Your EnemiesDay 7 - Anxious for NothingDay 8 - Effective PrayerDay 9 - Amazing FaithDay 10 - The Bleeding WomanDay 11 - Confidence in GodDay 12 - Fear Not!Day 13 - Come and RestDay 14 - Kingdom Minded CommunityDay 15 - The TreasureDay 16 - Peace in His PresenceDay 17 - Raise the RoofDay 18 - A Parent's CommitmentDay 19 - Too Good to be TrueDay 20 - Only JesusDay 21 - The Ninety-Nine and the OneDay 22 - Salvation Through SurrenderDay 23 - Good Rest from a Good ShepherdDay 24 - Read the RoomDay 25 - A Fruitful FaithDay 26 - The Wedding FeastDay 27 - Serve Like Jesus