Rest 5!

Rest 5!

‭Matthew 11:29 AMP‬

[29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jer 6:16]

There is a rest that comes when a man gives his life to Jesus for safe-keeping. That is the rest that is emphasized in the verse we looked at yesterday. That first rest is the key to the other rest that is the focus of the verse above. It is a waste of time to ask God for the rest that is promised in this verse, unless and until you have obtained and are living the reality of the first rest that is promised to all who willingly surrender their lives to Jesus. If you are not sure of that first rest, please leave all you are doing, and make sure you have secured that first rest. Nothing in this present earthly life will give you that rest; if money, fame, influence or earnings could do it, I am sure that the wealthy would have patented it and made it their own. Thank God it is a free gift available to ALL who come, no matter the baggage of the past. 

For those who have surrendered, there are yokes to pick up and carry on a daily basis. I do not know of any place in the bible where Jesus promised a life free of burdens, simply because a person surrendered his life to Him. What He promises is His presence and power to help through whatever may happen, whether we call it good or bad. The taking on of the yoke is a personal decision, but one that is required to enable me partake in the fullness of all that God has promised. Let it not be that I am focused on just the benefits and nothing on the responsibilities of this new walk. Both are important and relevant to my new relationship. The verse prescribes a lifetime of learning of Jesus. I do not start the journey in and with Him, and then try to take the rest of the journey on my own terms. I will fail miserably. Following Jesus as His disciple is not a one-off exercise; it is a lifetime commitment to all that Jesus represents. You do not also get to pick and choose what you are comfortable with, and then reject the rest. You take the whole offer, or you just stay off the lane of commitment. God will not take a lukewarm attitude to the things He considers of eternal importance. 

I note that learning of is a bit deeper than learning from Jesus. Jesus lays down his own life as the perfect example of what is acceptable to God. He describes himself as  one who is gentle and humble in heart. If at any time I find myself being proud of human achievements, with no regard for God's mercy and help, I had better watch it before I wreck my life. If at any time I begin to think I can fight for God, I should remind myself that He is called the Man of War. Long before I was born, and long after this present earthly phase will come to an end, God remains the Mighty, undefeatable Warrior. He wants me to trust Him to sort out my life, and I can only do that if I take Him up on His offer of rest, the version that He promises, not the falsehood the world sells at a ridiculous price. What would you do with the information you have now received? God's time of favour is here.