Come!

Come!

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28‭-‬29 KJV

Context and Charge:

In just the first sentence of the extract above, a lot is packed. We have some admonition, counsel or advice to come. It tells me what I am coming to meet, and it makes it clear the kind of people that the counsel or advice is for. The first and most important place to start is an admission of my own state; does this first sentence address my peculiar situation? Do I consider myself as being in need of help or do I see myself as stable and self-sufficient? How I see myself will determine what steps I take, and if I will come to the One who also makes it clear what I stand to gain if I come. With God, there are no hidden agendas. He speaks from a place of power, ability, capacity and might. There is no situation so tricky that He cannot solve, and there is no burden so heavy that he cannot take away. All He needs from me is that first word: COME. 

When I come, what do I get? There is a yoke on offer, but it is not like the yoke I have to hand over to the One who asked me to come. I come to him with a yoke; he will take that away and give me his own yoke. This tells me that coming to Jesus is not a call to laziness or indolence, but to service. I am taking on the yoke of Jesus, the yoke that demands a life of surrender. Titles do not impact the yoke; the applause of men does nothing to affect the yoke. I must rid my heart of all the expectations of men, and just focus on the demands of the yoke I have been called to bear. The One who gives me the yoke says He will help me, and also give me rest. What could be better than this combination: a yoke from Jesus and all the help from him that I need to discharge the burden and responsibility attached to that yoke. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

The yoke of Jesus must be a very peculiar one, if He recommends it for everyone. He invites us all to come and take it and if I know the heart of Jesus, his love for me will not let him offer me what will destroy me. His life example is the perfect lesson to emulate. He left all his glory in heaven to die the death of the condemned, but because He knew the gain that would come out of it, he endured the pain. If I walk in His will, I enjoy all that He is. The invitation stands for as long as this earth remains. The mercy of God remains in place until it is no more. Come and take full advantage of who God is and what He offers, which is rest. If my soul is at rest, I can serve with the whole of my heart. Learning of Jesus will definitely take time but the benefits will also definitely stay with you for all of eternity. God's time of favour is here.