5/10/10 Matthew 11:28-30 Finding Rest

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  (Matthew 11:28-30)

     In Matthew, Jesus said this wonderful passage in the midst of his rejection by many.  He expressed his sadness over how some had rejected John the Baptist and now were hyper-criticizing him (whether he was an ascetic or an imbiber).  He was saddened over the rejection of him in the towns where he did tremendous work- Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum- yet they refused to repent. Then Jesus looked at those following him- and saw that they were like little children.  They were not the smartest, most educated, or in leadership positions.  He said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." (11:25).
     Then he said something an ordinary teacher wouldn't say.  He spoke of being the Son of the Father (11:27).  Then he invited his children to come to him. 
     Today, we know Jesus as the living Lord . He still invites us who are weary of bad and sad news to come to Him.  He longs to have us come to him.  In yesterday's blog we saw Jesus longed for Jerusalem to come to him as a mother hen longed for her chicks to come under her wings for protection.
     Now he invites us to come to him to learn the way of gentleness, humility, rest, and peace.  He said to take his yoke upon us and learn.  The oxen yoke was typically a double yoke that pulled the plow.  He was inviting us to join him in the work of the Lord- learning from him as the lead worker.  The rest of Jesus is not sitting around doing nothing, but it is in doing his work that we find rest and peace. 
     People think peace is found in sitting on the couch watching TV, or playing some game, or watching some sport or entertainment.  There is a kind of peace there, but it fades as the event ends.  To feel we have to move from event to event in order to find peace is not peace.  For those who feel they must shop, drink, do drugs, be at the top to find peace, they will find they serve a hard master with a tough yoke.  He invites us away from the sadness to Himself.

Prayer: Lord, today may my soul find peace in you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjGaToEAQu4&feature=related  (Handel's "Come Unto Him" from the Messiah)