Daily Devotional

Two weeks ago I awoke in bed at 2am. Despite my best memory verse practices and prayer, I laid awake fretting for three hours. It started with some struggles in the church, then moved to stresses at home, from there it branched out to other arenas on the horizon. By 5am I despaired of sleeping more, had a strong desire to get up, put all aside and retreat to Matthew 11.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 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.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30, NASB

This was not my daily Bible reading program, nor its attendant prayer. I was in the described state of our text – weary and heavy laden. All realms had become hopeless in my mind. I knew it was not totally true, but it felt like I was surrounded by high walls which I could never scale.

But then I began in the text, “Come to Me.” I realized anew that I had allowed myself to descend to a state of a kind of paralysis; the burdens were mine to carry, the solutions mine to implement (of course, through prayer, the word and faith). Yet in truth, the focus was on myself – my plight, my weakness, my lack of solutions. Then I read what I had received before getting up, “Come to Me.” What an invitation! Not to processes and solutions, but to Jesus. To His presence.

I felt a little ashamed that I had let it slip to something spiritual, but not personal. The word I needed was, “Come to Me!” Jesus spoke this not long before He died! How could He say, “Come to Me?” Unless He was to be raised? Unless He was still and always the eternal and only begotten Son of God? Unless He would invade His church at Pentecost? Unless He was present at that moment of my need?! He said, “Come to Me.” And that is what I did. I wanted, needed His offer, “I will give you rest!” There is no true rest without this rest, His rest.

I unlocked my burdens and laid them at Jesus’ feet. I reached for and took upon myself His yoke which He offered to me. Then I set my heart to be a student and a bondservant. And suddenly I found myself at peace, as I peered at His face and into His humble heart. I had encouragement and renewed hope as He dealt with me in such a gentle way in my shortcomings. Then was fulfilled His word to me, “You will find rest for your souls.” And what a rest it was! And what a day that followed. I watched every burden and struggle evaporate before my eyes! By the end of the day I was shocked to realize that all burdens had been resolved or were in that sure process. What a work!

He had also said, “My yoke is easy (comfortable, pleasant) and My burden is light.” But I had side stepped this offer, almost unwittingly. And I thought, is this the same Lord and Savior of Matthew, chapters 5-7? Yes, it is! A Shepherd we all need desperately, and He offers Himself in such a kindly way!

Pastor Kenton has just finished his two messages regarding his vision for Campus, with our mission statement, “Enjoying and sharing the abundant life of Jesus!” It is so easy to pass over that first part, “Enjoying the abundant life of Jesus,” to let it slip as I had only two weeks back. If that first part is not present and alive, the second part will be empty, and only a frustrating labor of the law. How will our hearers ever achieve the abundant life if it is not alive and functioning in our lives?

But fortunately, we have a Savior who says, “Come to Me, all . . . “

Read: Matthew 11:25-30, John 10:1-10, Psalm 36:5-9
Sing: Jesus, I Come, by William Sleeper (George C. Stebbins)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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