SET FREE FROM BURDENS
Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
Are you tired?
Not just physically, though certainly that’s part of what we’re talking about. When our schedules are packed to the max, of course, there’s a physical toll. It doesn’t help that we don’t get the sleep we need each night—choosing to stay up and do the device distraction dance instead. Whether it be phones, computers, TVs, video games—you name it, and we’ll substitute it for a good night’s sleep.
But are you tired beyond that? In the depths of your heart and soul, are you weary? Do you feel like you’re barely hanging on and unsure how much longer you can? If so, you’re not alone. And there’s good news—Jesus has an invitation for you—an invitation to a better way, an invitation to rest.
In the above passage, Jesus speaks of His yoke being easy. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that goes over the necks of two animals attached to a plow or a cart. These burdens can be cumbersome or difficult for the animals to bear. But Jesus promises that when we come to Him, what He lays upon us isn’t burdensome. There aren’t hoops to jump through or standards to measure up to. We simply have to trust Him as Lord and Savior. When we do, His righteousness is imparted to us. He takes the weight of our sin from us, granting us new life and forgiveness. What a blessing!
Let’s place our trust in the One who is humble and gentle. The One who bore our burden at the cross so that we don’t have to. The One who shows us a better way because He is The Way.
APPLICATION: What’s preventing you from looking to Jesus for rest? What obstacle would keep you from the Savior? Pride? Fear? Shame? Whatever it is, ask Him to remove that obstacle. Commit this day to rest in Jesus. Come up with a daily plan to rest with Him and in what He has done.
PRAYER: God, You grant rest and relief from my burdens. Help me to rely on You instead of myself. Humble me that I might see my need for You. Your ways are better than mine; help me walk in them. I love You. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?