We were cleaning out our garage and cars last week. There were two big garbage bags of clothes that were given to us in the back of our van. I asked our youngest if he would take them inside for me. He wasn’t too happy with the request. The next thing I know, I see him struggling and grunting to get both bags inside at the same time. I had not told him he had to get them in at the same time. I simply stated he needed to take them in the house. But, because he did not want to take them inside he decided to get it done as soon as possible. The problem with this plan, though, was he made it more difficult than it had to be. It was interesting to me that due to the weight of both bags he had to walk very slowly. So, in retrospect he could have carried one bag at a time, made two trips and still completed the task in the same amount of time it took him to carry both bags at once.
How often do I do the same thing with what God asks of me? Too many times, I’m afraid to admit! God will ask something of me and because I really don’t want to do the task, I will complete it as quickly as possible in my mind. I usually make it harder than it has to be and I am miserable in the process. I struggle with the two bags, walking slowly and grunting in the process. I am complaining in my mind, just as I’m sure my son was doing at that time. All the while, God is sitting in the van, cleaning the windows and wondering why I choose to make a simple task so difficult.
Matthew 11:28 (NASB) states, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
God desires for us to come to Him. I love the definition of weary from Merriam-Webster: exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness. Wow! Are you exhausted in your strength today? Do you need help with your endurance of this spiritual race we are running? How about your freshness of living? Are you walking around living a mundane life or are you alive and feeling renewed in your life?
I have good news for you. Verse 30 reads, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light”. But, before we can end with that verse, we must read the meat of the sandwich and study verse 29, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” When we take God’s yoke upon us, He then guides us. We move with His direction. My favorite part, though, is “learn from Me”. God is our teacher. He leads us gently. Lastly, God gives us rest; rest for our souls.
Do you need rest this Christmas season? I pray you will relax in His arms, take up His yoke, allow Him to lead you gently, and watch your exhausted soul find rest.
© 2012 Susan M. Sims
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