“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)
I wonder if, like me, you’ve ever returned from a time away intended for rest yet came home exhausted. Experiences such as these are most commonly the result of burdens that we unknowingly took with us on our trip. And this only serves as a reminder that the burdens we carry, large or small, remain with us no matter where we go.
The truth is we can’t escape our burdens. And if we don’t learn how to positively unload them, the result is weariness. But I have good news for us. There actually is a better way, and it’s not connected to a place, as in a vacation, but rather to a Person, as in Jesus.
A Different Kind of Rest
Included in the Gospel of Matthew is Jesus’ compassionate invitation for the weary to experience rest (see Matthew 11:28-30). This invitation is a clear three-step process for realizing rest. However, the rest Jesus offered was not a physical rest that could be solved by a solid night’s sleep or an afternoon nap. Instead, His invitation is an opportunity to experience a rest that can only be found in Him. His is a rest that would not only refresh the body, but far more significantly, the soul.
Come, the First Step to Rest
Jesus’ invitation begins with the call to come to Him. This was crucial for those listening to understand, as receiving anything from Jesus requires a first step. And the first step to rest is coming to Him. Perhaps this seems simple enough and truthfully it is. Yet sadly, this first step is often where most people get stuck. And I think deep down inside we know why. You see the first step of “coming” requires humility, transparency, and honesty. In essence, this is the step where we confess. “I recognize I am not my own source. I realize my need for someone greater, stronger and supremely wiser than me. And Jesus, I recognize that Person is you.”
Responding to weariness is not simply looking to Jesus for practical guidelines, but discovering His true rest that covers every aspect of our lives.
A New Kind of Yoke
The second step to rest might sound a bit strange to us, but to the listeners in Jesus’ day this would have made sense, but only to the degree in that they were well acquainted with yokes. You see the Israelites lived in an agrarian society. And because of this, the illustration of oxen yoked together or to a cart was a point of connection for them. But additionally, and more significantly, they lived under a yoke of spiritual oppression placed upon them by the hypocritical religious leaders. It was specifically this yoke that Jesus said they could trade in for a new kind of yoke. It was a yoke that would release them from bondage and lead them to freedom. What Jesus was offering was the outrageous opportunity to be yoked to Him. And this would mean no more striving or trying to accomplish anything alone ever again. This new yoke would not remove the weight of personal responsibility but would rather redistribute the weight so that the bulk of it was on Jesus’ ability rather than man’s efforts.
Learn from Jesus
The final part of Jesus’ invitation is equally if not more critical than the first two steps. While coming to Jesus is the first step towards rest, and yoking to Jesus is how to experience rest, learning from Jesus is how to maintain rest. When Jesus invited His listeners to learn from Him, He was not suggesting practical guidelines for dealing with stress. Instead, He was inferring that the study of Him was in fact the method for responding to weariness. And in His invitation, Jesus specifically highlights two of His character traits that He desires for His students to learn: gentleness and humility. These traits were not ones that Jesus modeled only occasionally, but rather lived habitually. Because of this, He consistently lived from a position of rest even when facing extreme persecution, betrayal, and ultimately crucifixion.
Finding Rest
And finally, Jesus’ public invitation concludes with a magnificent promise for those who will come to Him, yoke with Him, and learn from Him,” … [And the promise is] I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 ESV).
It is a certain promise as it is spoken by Jesus, who is Himself God. God never changes. He never lies, and He always keeps His promises. However, we do have a personal responsibility in obtaining this promise which is to respond in faith and trust to Jesus’ compassionate invitation to rest.
If we do this, we are guaranteed a supernatural rest not based on our circumstances, our strength, other people, or any other factors. Instead, it is a rest that is solely the result of our intimate relationship with Him.
Extend grace to others!
If you’ve been encouraged, strengthened, or edified by this week’s post, please consider sharing Grace Notes for You with a friend.
Community Question of the Week
Has there been a time in your life when you experienced Jesus’ supernatural rest during difficult circumstances, loss, or pain? Encourage others with your words HERE!
Reflect
Which of the three steps to rest: coming to Jesus, yoking to Jesus, or learning from Jesus are the simplest and most challenging for you and why?
Pray
Dear Jesus, thank you for your compassionate invitation to find rest in you, yoke with you and learn from you. My burdens are made much lighter in the knowledge that you are with me in every challenge and trial. Please accept my sincere gratitude and heartfelt praise. In your beautiful Name I pray, Amen.
