Rest for the Weary and Heavy-laden Soul… Come and Get It!

Matthew 11:28-30 “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.”

Just like the little bunny who rolls around banging his/her/its drum, we humans don’t give up until we completely run out of juice. We just keep banging our drums, letting the world peek at the condition of our soul.

The spirit of a person is breath of life that gives us the passion, power and permission to walk upright through the doors of life. But the soul… the soul… is the “smartphone” of all that is called me. It records and remembers all the data. It manages all the appointments and possibilities and opportunities for us to have a rich and abundant story to tell. The soul may seem to be turned off but will come alive at the touch of our world. 

Some of us have an OLD soul that doesn’t move mountains as fast as they once did. Some don’t move at all being convinced that they are landlines who must be tethered to the source that they have placed on the throne of their heart. But all souls listen, seek, respond and replay the music that their souls listen to, that their heart commands them to dance to, and that their spirit moves them to take their place on the dance floor.

Being a creature, we are indeed connected to creation for as long as there is breath in our bodies. Our bodies do have an imperative role as they house all the bells and whistles, the technology we own, the robotics necessary to accomplish any and all dances we have been assigned or have assigned ourselves.

For the most part we keep on Rollin On the River (“Proud Mary” song written by John Fogerty, introduced by Creedence Clearwater Revival and sung by Tina Turner in 1971… according to Wikipedia). Even when we are up against creation itself.

Our world, all of creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now… Romans 8:22, lest we not forget, that our search for perfection, in our lives and in our world, does not exist.  We can and do (even when we refuse to admit it) easily become weary and heavy-laden. The yokes we have chosen (consequences of actions constitute indirect choices and bear the contract signature of your free will) turn from necklaces of privilege to chains of slavery. The burdens we so joyfully claimed as that which we can and will handle, become a two ton weight that threatens to take even the breath of our life.

Matthew 6:34 Each day has MORE THAN enough trouble of its own. Trouble that became the natural condition of an entire creation when it was cracked and broken the moment sin entered its perfect ecology.

Romans 8:20-21 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

We created this mess!

Romans 1:18-21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

I know, I know, WE DON”T DESERVE this trouble. We didn’t do anything REALLY BAD. IF God exists and IF He truly loved us, He wouldn’t let these bad things happen, especially  to “good” people!

Hello! God is NOT to blame (just like your parents weren’t to blame) when you come up against and get smacked with reality. He didn’t cause the mess (we did), He just lets us wallow in it until we acknowledge, honor and give thanks for all that is evident about Him. (God is good all the time and all the time God is good!…***my favorite movie? “God’s Not Dead”)

Romans 3:23 for ALL have sinned AND fall short of the glory of God

Like the children we are, we DEMAND our way and then COMPLAIN when our way hurts and torments us.  Like the children we are, we like the toys of our sins… until… we are weary and heavy-laden. 

Only then… will we give up our childish attempts. Only then… will we recognize and submit to the fact that independence is impossible. Only then… will our heart begin to doubt the ruler of the throne. Only then… will the spirit be given the freedom to seek the Giver of Life. Only then… will the soul begin to listen, seek, respond and replay the music of heaven.

Jesus is calling…

“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.”

Are you tired and heavy laden from carrying your two ton load of sin?

Jesus promises…

“My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”(because He has done/is doing/and will always do the heavy lifting)

Do you hear His music…

“I will give you rest”

Come and Get It!

Romans 8:37-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.