FINDING REST FROM LIFE'S BURDENS

GOT BURDENS??

Read Matt. 11:28-30. 

28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you WILL find rest for your souls.  30 For My  yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I found out an interesting thing about the word REST in this verse.

In v. 28 it means “to refresh” -

·         Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will REFRESH you

Jesus wants you and me to come to Him so He can REFRESH our spirits.

Like ice water on a hot day, or a relaxing massage when we ache all over, or a quiet day in park with a good book.

In v. 30  it means “to rest FROM something – an intermission”

·         Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find (an intermission in your soul from the things that burden you).

·         Jesus wants us to come to Him so that He can give us an “intermission” from the things that burden us – not necessarily a change in our circumstances, but help with our burdens so we can have a “soul intermission”.

When we’re feeling burdened by the stuff of life – whether it’s financial stress, weariness of dealing all day with caring for small children, relational stress, health issues, ministry burdens, etc – don’t we long for a let up in the stress, an intermission so we can catch our breath, so we can have our spirits refreshed?  That’s what Jesus wants to give us.

And He wants to TEACH us how to have it by bearing it with us.

What’s causing YOU to feel weary and burdened?  How badly do you need an “intermission of soul”?   

Notice the action words Jesus uses in the verse:  COME to me; TAKE my yoke

Where is the first place you go with your burdens?  Do you pick up the phone to call or text your husband?  A friend?  

Your mom – or do you go to Jesus first thing, because He’s the only one who can truly refresh you?

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find (an intermission in your soul from the things that burden you).

The word YOKE means “to couple things together:

What do you think of when you think of a yoke?  

I think of two oxen linked together by heavy wooden bar.  They have to work together.  The stronger one can help and lead the weaker one.    

Jesus wants us to intentionally COME and intentionally TAKE His yoke upon ourselves – to be coupled together with Him – so that He can lead and help, providing refreshment and an intermission from our burdens.  

Aren’t we glad He is a gentle and humble yokemate who really CAN provide REST?

Jesus’ yoke is EASY.  That word has the idea of “furnishing what is needed”.  When we “take His yoke upon ourselves”, He furnishes exactly what we need for us to carry on while experiencing the refreshment He promises.

And His burden is light.  That also has a meaning I didn’t expect.  It means “to fence around or enclose”, creating a protected “pocket” of peace within us.

This week you and I are bound to find ourselves worried and/or upset about something.   So, what are we going to do?

·         Go to a friend, or go to Jesus?

·         Carry our burdens alone, or invite Jesus to share His yoke with us?

·         Keep on being upset and burdened – or let Jesus fence us around with His easy and light burden – so we can experience, not necessarily a change in our circumstances – but a fenced in, soul refreshment and intermission from them?

The key is to COME and TAKE what Jesus offers.   Will you?