2 September | EVERYONE
«Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.» Matthew 11:28-30
The Lord Jesus addresses this invitation to people who live tired, toiled, stressed, and burdened because they are neither meek nor humble. They have an explosive character, they are angry, they react with rage to any adverse situation, and, in moments of anger, they say hurtful words that they later regret. That attitude causes them innumerable problems. They lose their jobs, family, money, opportunities, and friends.
They are also proud. They believe that the world is too unfair to them, that others do not recognize their value. They consider themselves superior to everyone else. They do not say it, but they think it, and they despair when they are alone.
These types of people are all of us who one day separated ourselves from God and, because of that, lost the image and likeness of the Creator. Now Jesus comes and invites us: “Come to Me.” He does not say it to those who are nearby, but to those who have not yet come close. The human drama is to live far from God. Thus, we find ourselves lonely, lost, grieving, tired, and burdened.
The only solution is to turn to God. We belong to Him. However, we have become accustomed to walking and living without Him. Therefore, the Master’s invitation is not only to go to Him but also to take up His yoke. The yoke binds two oxen together as they plough the land. A yoke is usually formed by tying the yoke of an experienced and mature ox with a young and inexperienced. Christ uses this figure to tell us that we need to walk with Him each day in order to learn from His meekness and humility. Then, and only then, will we find rest for the soul.
Take Action
To have permanent peace and quiet, is this not what everyone wants? In Jesus you can have this, He does not want you to live stressed or overwhelmed. Go to Him today and be bound by His yoke, which is not burdensome. Sing “Come to Me” (if possible, with your family).