Welcome back. I’m so glad you’re here. Let's continue with the thought we started in the previous post. Jesus said,
“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
Jesus begins, “Come to Me.” Notice, this isn’t an invitation to a church, a religion, or a list of rules to follow. It’s not a philosophy. It’s not a rule book or ritual, but it is an invitation to a relationship with a person. He is offering you help.
Jesus says to you… “Come to me…all of you who are…” this is the beautiful part of his words. We don’t need to be perfect to come to Him. Pause for a moment and let that sink in. We don’t need to be nervous. We don’t need to have it all together, as a matter of fact, Jesus knows we are imperfect. He knows we are a mess.
I’m not sure where the idea has come from where we think we need to have it all together before we come to Jesus, but that isn’t what He expects. Many of us have this idea that Jesus is disappointed in us. Many of us feel like we need to have it all together.
Jesus offered a yoke that was “easy,” meaning, good, comfortable, or well-suited. Just as a yoke had to be tailor-made for oxen, the Lord’s yoke fits well and takes into consideration the needs and abilities of His people. Jesus is saying, “EXCHANGE YOKES”. Take off the yoke of religion, rules, selfishness and put on the yoke of Jesus. To put on this yoke, we need to accept Jesus. To accept Jesus means to turn away from the wrong things you are trusting in to find acceptance with God. Place your faith in Jesus and follow Him and not the religious Laws. Essentially, Christ would bear the burden, and those who took His yoke by faith would find rest for their souls. Put on this yoke and walk beside Jesus and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live. John 11:2 As we come to Jesus…when we place our faith in Jesus…He gives us life…eternal life. But He also gives us a life full of joy, peace, forgiveness, hope. Jesus invites you to this kind of life, right now!
Maybe you aren’t weary or burdened by religion, but you are worried, discouraged, angry, disappointed, scared, left out, alone, overwhelmed, or maybe you are just bored. Maybe you are empty, sad, bitter, lost, questioning, maybe you are just uncertain, worried for your health…
Jesus promises to relieve you of these and provide something else.
Jesus wants to give you relief, encouragement, joy, peace, courage, purpose, assurance, hope, contentment, cleansing, refreshment, a new vision, rest, perseverance, patience, or forgiveness.
Jesus invites you… “come to me…”
Take the thing that you are carrying and bring it to the one who can help you. Jesus is not some impersonal being who just wants you to follow a bunch of rules. NO. Jesus is real. Jesus is personal. Jesus wants to take your burdens. Jesus wants to give you REAL LIFE.
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