Morning Moments

"...I will give you rest." the context of Jesus' words in Matthew eleven give us insight into several thing:

1) The problem: "labor and heavy ladened" I read the other day about a man they say worked himself to death. I am not sure of his age, but the news said he loved his job and worked about 80 hours a week for years. The report said that he worked himself to death. That is why many Christians get so weary and burn out. They are too busy to "come apart" lest they come apart. They are so busy running they have no time to "rest". To fail to "present" and "pace" one's self is to create a problem for one's self. What is your problem?

2) The Principle: "come unto me"... Coming to Jesus is not always easy because we have a tendency to think we can handle it ourselves. We are as children who give dad something to fix, then turn around and take it from him before He fixes it. What is it that you keep giving Him, then taking back before He fixes it?

3) The Person: YOU! It is not saying he, she, it, we they, but YOU. Coming to Jesus initially or continuously is always personal. It is a matter of choice - YOUR choice, and if you wish to "fix" life for yourself, "have at it", but listen to the warning: You will fail every time. It is pride that wants us to send the other person and not come to Jesus ourself.

4) The Promise - "I will give you rest." Do you realize what has to proceed rest? Think about it. How many of us say for example, " I could not rest because I could not RELAX. Why can't we relax? Because we are not sure Jesus will handle the problem? Because we are too stressed out? Because we will not "trust" Him to do what we can't and only HE CAN? What is your reason for not entering into and experiencing the "rest" Jesus promised?

5) The Pathway to Peace: "take...follow" When I was a boy, farmers had no tractors, they plowed with mules, as they did with oxen in Bible days. Here's the deal: The two animals are yoked together, but one of them is a "lead" animal. They are "yoked", which is to say that where one went the other must go. Unless and until we "yoke" up to Jesus, and give the reins to Father, we will neither have nor find peace and rest. Why are you trying? Start TRUSTING:)

PRAYER: Thank You Father that the Christian life is an impossible one for us to live, for it can only be lived by Christ Himself, as we "vacate" and allow Him to "occupy". Help me to see that there is no rest or peace in self effort, but only in self denial and death that I begin to live in newness of life.