Rest for the weary

In a Bible study group, I passed around a small box with a large, heavy stone inside it. The box had a piece of paper on the top that described the contents. Each person was surprised by its weight and only too eager to pass it to the next person. Then I read this passage to them and told them about the meaning of the words . . .

“Come to me, all 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 first burden Jesus referred to is a heavy load, like a crate lifted unto a barge, or like the box we had just passed around. The second word is about the burden that Jesus called light. It is more like the invoice on the crate, the piece of paper on the box. He invites the heavy laden to take up His yoke, yet clearly says that He carries the heavy part whereas we carry only the invoice.

When I go to prayer, this helps me. I am easily overwhelmed by the daily news and the daily needs of the people on my heart. Children all over the world suffer from disease, loss of parents, being put out of their homes by floods, earthquakes, or fires, and are in constant danger from many threats. Entire populations suffer under corrupt leadership and bands of thieves who take whatever they want from them. Climate change is producing adverse weather patterns and storms that rip apart homes and destroys lives.

While I pray, I know that those who suffer also need to know the God who answers prayer. Suffering may never go away, but when the Prince of peace comes in, the burdens are bearable. However, most of the world seems oblivious to the power of God and His great love for us. Instead, they look at the disasters and shake their fist in His face.

Still He invites us to come — in our labor, with our heavy loads, with the cares of life big and small. He invites us to be yoked with Him, to learn from Him. He is gentle, humble, and brings rest to the soul, no matter how down-trodden and burdened that soul may feel.

Some refuse His invitations because they assume He will bring greater restraints and burdens into their lives, but this is not what Jesus says. His burdens are easy, light, and sometimes downright delightful. The enemy of our souls whispers contrary lies. The mocking world around us is blind to the beauty of Jesus. Our own reasoning and excuse-making dupes us into turning the grace of this invitation into something repulsive.

These realities also burden my heart, yet as Jesus said, it is not unbearable. My part of the yoke is to do what He asks — come to Him, give Him my load and in exchange, He gives me that invoice that tells me He has accepted the burden and will do with it as needed.

Such a simple solution to problems, mine and theirs: Come to Jesus, all who labor and are heavy laden, and He will give us rest.

All are invited

My sister and all those cleaning up their homes after massive flooding are exhausted. The task is huge and the frustrations wearisome. She describes insurance companies willing to pay for some things and not others. Her spouse is physically not able to help her very much and this is wearing on his soul. Even though she is not fighting God or struggling to earn His favor, I think of her as I read these verses again today,

Come to me, all 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)

It isn’t just the unsaved who labor for God’s favor that this invitation is extended. Sometimes the people of God also become weary and burdened. It could be from the burden of ceremony and legalism imposed by a rigid denomination. It could simply be the burden of serving others and being so caught up in it that we do far more than God asks and get ourselves burned out.

It could also be the burden of sin, for it weighs on us perhaps far heavier than on those who are unaware of their guilt before God. We know His favor and when we violate His godliness and take our lives into our own hands, we feel a weight that is unbearable. For that weight, this invitation is most needed.

But it is also needed for the simple fatigue of unceasing hard work, of sleep interrupted and matters too pressing for the human heart. For this, Jesus says “all” who work hard, “all” who are burdened. He didn’t even define the work or the load, just offers the solution. He bids the weary to take His yoke upon them.

Wearing a yoke is an expression that refers to subjection. The image is a beast of burden paired with another, both involved in the work. Jesus invites those who are slaves to sin, or just overworked, to be yoked with Him, serving alongside Him rather than serving self, or sin, or Satan.

He offers to be King, Master, teacher and coworker, One who is “gentle and humble in heart” and who models those same qualities for the rough and proud, but also promising kindness to the timid and fearful. His attitude will always suit the needs of those who are willing to share His yoke.

Notice He says “rest for your souls” not “rest for your bodies.” Sometimes the work must go on. Sometimes we cannot take a physical break. I think of the situation with Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha. Mary sat at His feet, which was commended, but Martha had work to do and was “distracted by much serving.” Jesus rebuked her, not for her hard work, but for being “anxious and troubled about many things.” She needed to come to Him and bear His yoke, not the self-imposed yoke that was too heavy for her. (Luke 10:38-42)

My heart is with my sister these days. I wish my physical body to be there too, but so far God isn’t letting that happen. However, instead of being anxious and troubled, He calls me to support her in other ways, including prayer and with words that point her to the One who can ease her burden and give her inner rest. She needs to sleep well, to stay calm, to rely on Jesus, yet she already knows the power of His presence lightens all loads.

Down-sizing the Soul

For many, it seems to be a year to down-size. Women of all ages tell me that getting rid of their excess stuff produces a sense of freedom and lightness that they never would have imagined. Unused and unwanted possessions put a burden on our lives that we don’t realize until that burden is removed.

Sin is like that. Sometimes I’m conscious of it, like when I want to control (instead of trusting God) and pile upon myself the burden of worry. I spend all my time and energy in a mental effort to change things with that burden robbing me of sleep and making me hard to live with. I’ve even toiled to gratify some sinful desire and found that my craving was left unfilled anyway, becoming another burden.

Sin can be an unconscious burden too. For years, I’ve carried frustrations that would not be there if I was obeying God. Once aware of my disobedience, these burdens morphed into guilt, also heavy.

Another weighty burden is the effort to earn God’s blessing. While I know I cannot save myself or earn my salvation, I’ve struggled with trying to please God by being or doing what I thought He wanted. I’ve even used my “good” as a bargaining chip so He would answer my prayers, piling excess responsibility on my soul. More than once, the Lord has said to me, “Get out of My to-do list.”

Come to me, all 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)

This verse brings those burdens to mind. God doesn’t want me to carry them. Instead, He explains that His load is lighter by using two words for burden. “Heavy laden” is the Greek word for cargo or shipment, while “my burden” is the word for the invoice.

One of the most challenging results of sinning is the guilt it creates. Guilt makes most people run and hide like Adam and Eve did, toiling to cover themselves and their shame. This shows an understanding of sin’s awful nature and that it deserves punishment, but it does not give the full picture. God forgives sin because of Jesus. Jesus took our punishment by experiencing the wrath of God Himself, for our sakes. Because He died, we can live.

We can also call out this good news to others who carry that same burden…

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:17)

Sin, if not abandoned, will have consequences. For those who do not know Christ, it is eternal.

Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)

For those of us who do know Christ and have His promise of eternal life, the consequences of sin are in this life. That is, sin heaps on me burdens that I cannot bear. God’s invitation for me is the same: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

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Need love? Try loving others!

The biblical definition of love that results in doing good things for others means that these are selfless actions. However, they also have positive results in the lives of those who love this way.
 

For one thing, doing good to my enemies changes my attitude toward them. While this has not been tested to the extreme (I haven’t many enemies), I cannot remain upset with someone that I am praying for or acting in ways that bless them.

I’m also to love other Christian and help them with their burdens. Normally, this is easy to do, but what if I am burdened myself? How can loving others be anything but an added burden? This passage in Galatians hints at God’s amazing wisdom in asking me to love others, no matter what.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (Galatians 6:1–5)

Caring about the needs of someone else keeps me on my toes. That is, I cannot help anyone if I am not walking rightly with the Lord myself. From this passage, that includes being a “spiritual” person who is gentle and who “watches” myself so I am not tempted. That cannot be done without humility and self-awareness. Also, I am to examine my own self lest I think I am better than others. All these are beneficial to my own life.

The last line seems a contradiction from the first part. I can see how bearing one another’s burdens is part of loving my neighbor as myself (the law of Christ), but what about bearing my own load? What if I am weighed down and no one steps up to help me?

Today’s comments on this passage of Scripture are helpful. They explain the reasons why God might ask me to do this.

However perplexed you may at any hour become about some question of truth, one refuge and resource is always at hand: you can do something for someone besides yourself. At the times when you cannot see God, there is still open to you this sacred possibility, to show God: for it is the love and kindness of human hearts through which the divine reality comes home to men, whether they name it or not. Let this thought, then, stay with you: there may be times when you cannot find help, but there is no time when you cannot give help. (George Merriam)

If my problems and perplexities cause me to turn inward and focus only on my own needs, not caring about anyone else, then walking in love toward others is impossible. To turn this around, confession is necessary, but so is the power of God and obedience to His commandments. He cares about my needs, but I must also care about doing what He asks, no matter what is happening in my life.

At this point, I must make a distinction between what this means and what sometimes happens to people who tend to hide their own needs and burdens. Some will wear a perpetual Pollyanna smile to cover any sign of weakness or personal problems. A person that I know well was doing this for years. Eventually, he had a full breakdown and wound up in the hospital.

His “I’m fine all the time” attitude is not what this passage means by bearing your own burden. A spiritual person is also a transparent person. Having a spirit of gentleness is real, never a cover for anything else. Needing to watch myself concerning temptation is real too, because pride and self-deception go hand-in-hand. I cannot project any sort of “I’m fine” when I’m not fine because in those efforts to “look good” I easily can become out of touch with reality, as happened to my friend.

How can I bear my own load and at the same time bear the burdens of others? Only by taking all burdens to the Lord. He invites me to do that, particularly when the “one another’s” is not happening.

Come to me, all 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)

If I, with burdens that I cannot bear, come to Jesus, He gives me rest for my soul. That is, my inner person is no longer concerned about the weight of that burden. He may not remove it, but He does want to exchange it. In love, He releases me to carry a different load, His burden. Simply put, it is the burden of loving His people, and that burden is light.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)

Doing something for others because of the love of Christ and regardless of my own situation becomes an opportunity to be yoked with Christ. I can be a channel for His love. The weight of my own burden may remain, but it loses its ability to control me. 

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Lord, Your ways are certainly not like our human ways. We either ignore our own needs to help others, or cannot help others because our own needs are too overwhelming. You did neither. You went to the cross asking that the cup be removed (God, fix My need), but said, “Nevertheless, Thy will be done (But if You don’t, I will obey You anyway). By that great humility, Your love went to work in the midst of Your own pain, making eternal life possible for a dying world. In these verses, I hear You asking for that same attitude in me. I’m to bear the burdens of others, even when I have a burden of my own, for in showing Your love to them, they will be able to see You.

He even carries the invoice

Christianity unfortunately is dumped into the system called religion, but the Gospel is about as opposite from religious beliefs as it can be.

Religion says we must do this and do that to please God. It is made up of rules and rites, creeds and laws, putting a sorrowful burden on the honest heart because it knows that no matter how great the effort, the standard can never be attained. Religious people can get around this by creating a standard that they can reach. By doing this, they then fall into a self-righteous pride. Either way, religion is hard work.

The Gospel is not like that, despite the labels put on it. The Christian who knows Jesus Christ and lives by the power of the Holy Spirit does not base their faith on what they are doing. Instead, we have responded to His invitation and live by grace.

Come to me, all 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)

Jesus knows that we are prone to try and earn the favor of God, but in our labors to do so, there is no certainty, no rest. The zealous eventually find themselves weary with the load.

Actually, the words here for heavy laden indicate just that — a great and large cargo, a full load. This load could include a deep desire for holiness and all efforts to become that, but whatever else is involved, the heavy load includes the weight of failure, of sin and shortcomings that separate sinners from God. It is the sense of never quite measuring up.

But Jesus talks about a different burden, a light one that is easy. The word used in this case is not the cargo of the first burden but a word that means the invoice! No wonder He calls it a light load.

Carrying this light load includes learning from Jesus, becoming acquainted with His nature and humility. It is walking alongside Him with a load that is easy; He shares the carrying and allows us to rest rather than labor and be stressed about our eternal destiny because He has secured it for us.

The Gospel is simple. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, then rose again the third day. The penalty for sin has been paid. Jesus also lives the righteous life we can never live, and when He is received into our hearts as Savior and Lord, that life becomes our life. He took our sin so that His righteousness might become our piety and holiness. Not only that, we die to our old life so that we can take His light burden and be yoked with Him.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. (Galatians 2:20–21)

There is nothing I can do to earn the favor of God or eternal life. Contrary to religious beliefs, I am set free from the law of sin and death by faith in Jesus Christ, nothing else. I am saved by grace through faith, and even faith is a gift from Him. In this liberty, I am not in a religion but in an incredible relationship.

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

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Lord, so many sincere people work hard to please You with their religious activities. Others work hard to ignore You, thinking (rightly) that they cannot do it. Many have no interest at all, not realizing their need. No matter. The invitation goes out. You bid all who need saving (which is everyone) to come and You will satisfy the need of their souls. Thank You for inviting us, for inviting me, to let You carry our heavy load.