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In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 11 we find a timeless message of comfort and peace. These verses provide a source of inspiration for individuals seeking solace and rest amidst the challenges of life. Let’s delve into the wisdom contained within the writings of Matthew 11:28-30 and explore its significance in our modern world.
“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.”
Come to Me, All Those Who Are Weary
Life is replete with hardships, burdens, and weariness. In this verse, Jesus extends an invitation to all those who feel the weight of their struggles. It is an open call to find respite and comfort in his presence. Jesus assures us that He offers a unique refuge where we can find rest from the weariness that plagues us.
In a world that demands constant productivity and celebrates busyness, these words hold immense value. They remind us that it is essential to take a step back, to acknowledge our fatigue, and to seek reprieve. Jesus offers a compassionate embrace, inviting us to lay down our burdens and find renewal in His grace.
Sometimes we are so project oriented instead of relational oriented that in our prayer ministries they cease when the project is over. But what's really supposed to happen is that we pray without ceasing. It's because we have a relationship and our machinery, or our life is continuously oiled. I
t's called the wisdom ways of God. Now, sometime this is easier preached than lived because we all live really busy lives. We each must contend to take time with Him.
You know, you really don't have the grace to pick up an assignment unless you first come to Him. No matter what it is, ‘come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden.’ If we don't come to him, we will end up being weary and heavy laden. “And I will give you rest. Take my yoke.”
In this verse, Jesus speaks of taking His yoke upon ourselves. By taking on Jesus' yoke, we align ourselves with His teachings and follow in His footsteps. It is an invitation to learn from Him, to embrace His wisdom, and to model our lives after His example. “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.” Your mind, your will, your emotional capacity will find renewal and rest. Is anybody out there could use some renewal in your emotional capacity? Yet, Jesus also emphasizes His nature: gentle and lowly in heart. Here, He reveals his compassionate and understanding character, assuring us that the burden He asks us to bear is light and accompanied by His loving presence.
Spirit of Grace for Supplication
To foster a place of rest, and to engage in a place of prayer – there is a measure of grace needed. We actually find that principle in Zechariah 12:10. It's called the “spirit of grace and supplication”. And I think that the order of those words are really important. It doesn't say the “spirit of supplication and grace”, it's the “spirit of grace and supplication”. So we need the grace of God to even be able to be able to have a long term sustained prayer life.
It is about His strength. And while I say that it is about divine cooperation, there is the parable about the 10 virgins. They each have a lamp. Five wise recipients bring extra oil with them, while the remaining five foolishly don’t bring more oil for their lamps. Some say that the lamps represent ministries or maybe it represents their lives and ministries both. The five foolishly waited until their oil ran out before going back for more oil. Sometimes that's the way we operate, isn't it, running on fumes or nearly on empty?
In the midst of birthing and maintaining your calling, don’t neglect your personal devotional intimacy with Jesus. If you do, you will run out of grace for your assignments. You will not be able to keep your “machine” going. With machinery, you have to keep it oiled, or it just cranks dry and stops. It’s the same with your spiritual life; you have to keep the oil of intimacy flowing and covering all the parts of your life. First Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to “pray without ceasing.”Yes, our prayer machinery needs to be well oiled to be in good working order.
Lessons from the Life of Samuel
Let me give you the illustration from out of the life of Samuel. There’s a phrase that gets tossed around some today called ‘soaking in His presence’. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, was barren, but then she out of a place of desperation cried to the Lord and conceived. After this she dedicated her prayer child unto the Lord and virtually gave the stewardship of her cherished child to the oversight of those at the temple the service. Do you know where little Samuel slept? He slept close to the Ark of Covenant.
I Samuel 3:1-6 reads, “Now the boy Samuel was, was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days and visions were infrequent. And it happened at that time, dad, Eli was lying down in his place. Now his eyesight had began to grow dim and he could not see well.”
This passage introduces us to the setting—a moment when the elderly priest Eli, serving in the tabernacle, is struggling with his diminishing sight. Additionally, it highlights the symbolic significance of the lamp of God, which represents divine presence and guidance. In this pivotal moment, a young Samuel, unaware of the profound role he is about to play, is lying down nearby.
The lamp of God had not yet gone out. It was about to, but it had not yet. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was.
“And the Lord called Samuel, and he said, here I am God.” In this verse, we witness the divine call reaching out to Samuel. The voice of God breaks through the silence, beckoning the young boy. ;It is crucial to note Samuel's readiness and willingness to respond. His simple yet profound words, "Here I am," demonstrate his receptiveness to God’s presence. Samuel heard God while lying next to the Ark of the Covenant. He is resting where God communes. He's soaking in the presence, and that is where he hears the voice of God.
Do you want to hear the voice of God? Then I would suggest to you rest around the ark of God, rest in the presence of God. Put on some soaking worship, or an audio Bible. Put on some good instrumental classical music. Get some oil in your lamp, keep it burning, burning, burning. Be a wise steward for the days in which we live. Don't be a foolish one, that you live burnout where your machinery runs really dry. You're living in the smoke of yesterday's flame of revival.
Wait on God and soaking in His presence. Just do it and make sure you keep oil in your lamp. Afterall, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden.”
Worshiping and Waiting!
James W. Goll
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