Published 4/1/20
Read Matthew 11:28-30
"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."
Reflect
What problems in your life are you trying to solve on your own? What has God told you about that through this lesson? Have you ever experienced the freedom that comes from giving your difficulties to Jesus?
I'm the oldest of several children in my family. When I was younger, I thought I could help my parents by being a sort of "junior parent." I could fix my sibling's problems and Mom and Dad didn't even have to be bothered. What I realized after my parents talked to me is that 1) my "fixing" only made things worse, and 2) my parents wanted to be involved in their children's lives--it wasn't a bother.
Now that I'm older, I see that I'm not the only one with the habit of trying to "fix" things. Only it's often about fixing our own problems without bothering God. It's when we think, God can't be bothered with my problems. He wouldn't even be interested.
The Bible says otherwise. "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 11:28-30, ESV)
"Come to me," Jesus says. Jesus doesn't want to sit on the sidelines.
"All you who labor and are heavy laden."Life is hard and we make it impossible when we try to carry our burdens and fix our problems ourselves.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me."When farmers used oxen to plow, one ox alone couldn't plow an entire field. But two oxen, bound together with a yoke would more than double their power and together accomplish what one alone could not. Jesus says, "Join me, I will supply the power you lack."
"For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." This isn't boot camp; Jesus is not your drill sergeant. He's your Savior and Friend, your Comforter and Strength. Because He lived as a man, He knows how hard life gets, and He wants to help you.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."After my parents talked to me, life got a lot easier. I was still responsible to them and they were still my parents, but I no longer felt the burden of trying to fix or control things that I couldn't.
It's the same with Jesus. He wants to carry your burdens, and He will when you walk with Him.
Pray
Lord Jesus, take my burdens. I want to find rest and peace in You. Amen.