Come, rest

What a difficult few weeks it had been.  Life had thrown some curve balls, leaving us scrambling to catch up, get ahead, work it through.  I’d fallen silent, needing time to process, to listen, to receive.

“Rest.”  I knew His voice.  “You’re working so hard to figure things out.  You’re striving, trying to ‘get it right,’ to figure out what it is you’re doing wrong.”

Oh.  Well, yes.  That’s exactly what I’d been doing, and wasn’t I exhausted in the trying?

For a second, the faces of my children flashed through my mind.  Weren’t there times I wanted to gather them up, to pause from the ‘character reformation’ and just enjoy them?  Let them rest?  Let them – be?  Oh, yes. 

“Just rest.” There it was again. “…And walk with Me.”

Pulling The Book out of my sturdy backpack, I opened it up, looking…and there it was.  “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Rest!

“Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me…and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” 

“Come.” 

As always, He’d pared it down to the simple, the basic, the elemental.  No 12-step program.  No complicated list or hoops to jump through.  Just – come.

I saw a picture, then, of a wooden yoke.  On the right He stood patient, waiting.  The spot on the left?  Well, it was empty because ‘someone’ had slipped out of it, going it on her own and finding exhaustion, turmoil, and heaviness.  And I knew what was needed.  Laying down my stubborn will and slipping back into the yolk with Jesus, walking in step with Him, letting Him carry it all, was the way to rest. 

Could it be (just maybe?) that He’s whispering the same to you?  You who, too, are weary, laboring under burdens far too heavy for your back to bear?  His word to you, friend, is the same:  “Come and rest, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” 

Come and rest.  Come and walk.  Come and live.

Lovingly offered,

Rhonda