Matthew 11:28 (NIV): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
This past Thursday I woke up with lower back pain. It stinks to get older. After a week of hobbling around, the weariness makes me feel older than I usually feel.
I think that our society is becoming weary. The burdens of this year are weighing heavy on so many people. The response to the virus has affected us all. The shutdown of our economy has led to people without work, even in my own family. The wrongful killing of others has spotlighted the injustice that many experience. Close friends of mine have shared their stories of injustice and it breaks my heart. A wave of violence has rocked our cities and the moral inconsistencies of historical figures has led to a desire to remove symbols that are part of our history.
I know I am not alone in just wanting it to all go away. Perhaps I should just retreat to the mountains. Yet, in the midst of this, Jesus says the He will give me rest. Jesus never promised that we will not go through the fire. He has promised to see us through it. Even in the middle of the fire we can have peace.
Perhaps the chaos of our times is an opportunity for those who follow Jesus to model rest and peace even while being weary and burdened. Perhaps we can make a real difference now because we are even more different than those around us. I read that many are now exploring the big questions of life for the first time. We have the answer – Jesus! May I engage my world to share the good news of Jesus and demonstrate His rest in the midst of weariness and burdens.
Prayer: Jesus, I confess that I am weary and burdened. I need Your rest. Thank You for giving it. May I be Your tool to be peace and life to others who need You.
