Jesus gives rest to the weary

December 31

Scripture Reading

Read Matthew 11:25-30 and reflect on the passage.

If I were crafting a comforting Bible verse about rest, the work of an ox would not be my chosen metaphor. I’m guessing beasts of burden aren’t your picture of rest either. So why is it that Jesus evokes this hard-pressed, driving metaphor when offering us comfort for our weariness?

I propose to you two reasons. First, we are meant for something. Rest for us, is not about inactivity, but about the right activity—faithful activity. Rest for the Christian is about obedience to God’s call in any moment. We may be called to stop at some times, and to go at another. Sometimes obedience will feel easy and sometimes it will be hard. But always it is what is best for us and will lead us toward a source of love and of life that will carry our weariness from us.

Second, a yoke is not taken by just one animal. We are not just taking on Jesus’ yoke, but we are yoked with Him—beside Him. Even when the work ahead seems insurmountable, we are more than conquerors because Christ pulls beside us, and He pulls in our place. We are yoked with Christ and in that there is infinite rest.

Questions

1.      What has you weary right now? Is it something God has called you to, or something else?

2.      What have you been trying to do that Christ can be doing for you? What would it take to convince you that the work you are doing doesn’t really rest on your shoulders?

  

Prayer

Jesus, I want to be yoked to You. Help me to be obedient and to remember that You do the heavy lifting. Amen.

—Aaron Thompson