At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!
“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
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 11:25-30 NLT
Do you feel like your responsibilities weigh heavily on your shoulders? Do you feel exhausted from trying to keep your life together? Do you wonder if all this turmoil and stress is worth it?
When you come to Jesus, He not only lifts your burdens, but He also gives you rest. You were never meant to hold all that pressure on your back.
- The enthusiasm of a child produces pure rest because they know they’re safe.
When you think of yourself as wise, clever, or intellectual, you may be missing out on the virtues of simple faith and trust. A daddy says to his child, “Come here and I will teach you many things,” and the child walks over happily. In the same way, when you hear your heavenly Father say the same thing, you should joyfully obey. You are safe in your heavenly Father’s arms.
- Trust in the Son of God gives you rest because He controls all.
You don’t have to know all there is to know, and you can never control everything in your life. A child doesn’t know how to run a household. They don’t know what to do in an emergency. But they do know that when trouble comes, their parents will lead them to protection. Your heavenly Father does the same thing. You may not even be aware of some of the dangers that He has kept you from.
- Humility and teachability brings rest because you don’t have to know everything.
Since you know you are safe in your heavenly Father’s arms and you don’t have to control anything, you can rest.
Rest in the comfort that God is continually teaching you.
Rest in the warmth of God’s arms of protection.
Rest a portion of every day and every week.
Step away from all your comings, goings, and doings and listen for your heavenly Father’s whispers of assurances and warnings.
God is your very good Shepherd. He desires to guide you, protect you, and let you know that you are very much known and loved. Being known in this way brings much peace and rest.
Some people cannot relate to the earthly examples of parents loving and protecting their children. Unfortunately, some homes haven’t been very loving, and some children don’t understand this feeling of safety. This was never God’s design for a family. In these cases, Jesus especially wants you to come to Him so He can give you the rest you never understood early in life. He can redeem the sordid memories of your past by showing you real love, care, and rest.