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We rest yoked with Jesus, He carries the weight!
“Come unto Me” is Jesus’ invitation to all, especially those “who are weary and heavy-laden.” And what does He promise in Matt. 11:28: “rest.” The kind of rest He is speaking of is discovered in vs. 29, ” rest for your souls.” That is, rest for our minds, wills and emotions; rest from worry, making the right choices on our own, and emotional burdens. When we come to Him, we depend on Him and not our own strength. That is truly “rest.”
Beyond coming to Him, He tells us to “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” (Vs. 29-30). That’s how we rest. Yoked with Him, He carries the weight. In fact, He already did – the weight of the cross. He did the work – our burden is light, simply staying in faith and close to Him and allowing His Spirit to work within us.
These thoughts were inspired by a message I heard at the Presbyterian church of my Cousin Faith when we visited last Sunday. I was pleasantly surprised when the pastor said that he was “led” by the Spirit to preach on what he called “The Heart of the Gospel,” rather than a traditional Palm Sunday message. He preached on Matt. 11:25-30.
And true, once Jesus’ death and resurrection and sending of the Holy Spirit is preached, coming to Him and resting in Him is indeed the heart of the Gospel – the Good News of His grace and our faith rather than works in order to receive.
(Written and first posted April 4, 2015).
