Come to Me: Part 1

When people think about Christianity, most think Christianity is about doing better, trying harder to be a better person, going to church regularly, or going to church on Easter Sunday. Some think Christianity is just following certain rules, maybe following the Ten Commandments. And most think that if they follow these rules pretty well, then they will be okay with God. They think, “God is happy when I try to follow the rules.”

For some reason, many carry some of this type of thinking around with them. They carry this baggage from their past and it shapes their idea of what God is like and how to make themselves acceptable to Him.

Because they don’t feel like they measure up to their own standard, most people carry around with them some level of guilt, “I’m just not measuring up.”

Some live with a level of fear that God is going to be mad at them. Or some have some level of shame that they have blown it so badly and God would
never accept them.

So, when it comes to following Christianity, many just check out because they think, “Why would I want to follow some rules where I know I will feel bad?” It sounds exhausting, doesn’t it?

But God is not like an accountant, keeping a ledger of good works on one side and bad works on another with the hope that somehow good outweighs the bad.

Here is the great news!

You will never hear Jesus saying,

• “I am so disappointed in you. I’m tired of dealing with the same old sin.”
• “If you don’t change your ways a little bit, I’m afraid I’m going to have to walk
  away from you.”
• “Look, you need to work harder or God’s going to punish you.”
• “If things don’t clean up a little bit, I don’t think I’m going to be able to recommend
  you to my Father.”

I don’t think you will find Jesus saying that to anybody. Nowhere in the Bible will you find that.

Look what Jesus does say to us in Matthew 11:28-30. I love this.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly 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

In the next post, I’ll be expanding on how we might interpret and apply this scripture, but until then, I pray you will find peace in knowing you can simply come as you are to Jesus and let him carry all of your fears, guilt, and shame so you can come to find a more restful life in Christ.