January 16 – Bible reading for today from the One Year Bible:
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all…
The promise of rest is for ALL… so that includes you, too! It’s not for just a select few that are thought to be God’s favorites, but to all! Notice that all we have to do is come to Jesus. Jesus didn’t say, “Come work for me, come do this and that and I will give you rest. Come and get over all your bad habits.” No, He simply and powerfully says, “Come!” Come to Jesus just as you are! Broken, tired of trying, striving, walking in sin, totally not perfect, entangled, with all your baggage and issues—come to Jesus and He will give you rest! That, my friend, is amazing grace!
…Who are weary and carrying heavy burdens
“Weary” refers to those who are actively trying and striving to do what is right… and it’s exhausting. Those “carrying heavy burdens” refers to those who are carrying burdens others have put on them. It’s more passive; it’s the burden of all the things you are told you have to do to please God, the burden of legalism, rules, spiritual to-do lists, the burden of trying to measure up, the burden of relying on your own self-righteousness. These are the ones that Jesus invites to come to Him – not those who are perfect in their eyes; those who think they are holier than others; those who are proud of how awesome they are; those who are singing, “Everything is Awesome.”
…I will give you rest
It’s not, “you will earn rest.” It can’t be earned; it can only be given. Jesus is always in the posture of giving, not taking. He is always giving to those who can’t earn what is given to them. This rest is deep and beyond physical sleep. Rest means to cease from labor in order to recover and collect strength; to be quiet; to live in patient expectation; to be in the midst (of God’s presence), ceasing from work. It’s a rest from all striving and trying to measure up; it’s a place of stillness. In this rest is a level of peace and joy that is intimidating to the enemy! There is a confidence in God that makes you worry-free and unmovable. There is a cleansing that takes place in this place of rest that will never take place in a frenzy of activity. Just as the brain is cleansed only when we rest physically, so our spirit man is cleansed in this place of rest. Here is where He washes us with His words. He sweeps over us like a beachcombing machine. He works out of us all the junk that is not like Him.
I pray for you, my friend, that this year you will experience the rest that God has for you… that your year will be filled with less frenzy and more supernatural peace!
Happy Fasting,
Pastor Kevin
