Come to Me

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

I remember reading these verses some time ago and thinking that they apply to people who work hard physically and get tired physically as well. While it can apply to those people as well, I realize now that they are most likely directed to those who carry burdens on the inside, who strive and worry and work themselves up emotionally, mentally and even spiritually. The remedy for it all though, is simple: an invitation to come to Jesus Christ. And in coming to Him, to cast our burdens on Him, like Psalm 55:22 tells us.

The next step is to learn from Him, to seek to do things like He did. If we look throughout the four gospels, we can see that Jesus did not do anything apart from the Father. He prioritized time alone with God, in spite of the expectations of those around Him (Mark 1:35). And He only did what the Father called Him to do (John 5:19).

And, because we tend to worry, and work ourselves up, and strive and do things in our own strength, He is inviting us to follow His example. To prioritize time alone with God, despite how many other things or people demand our attention. To seek to obey Him and do the things that He calls us to do. And to not try to do anything apart from Him, for apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). “Come to Me”, Jesus said, and in so doing we will find the rest our soul desperately needs.