The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in his hands
Matthew 11:28-30
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.
The comfort I find in this verse never ceases to amaze me. It's like, I never get tired of hearing or reading this verse and for some reason or another it instils a sense of peace within me. Somehow I know he understands and will bear all my burdens. And he will give me the strength and courage to endure till the end. When I read this I am reminded that I don't have to measure up to any standard. Sometimes I feel like I just don't measure up as a christain as a follower of Christ...I sin, heck I often don't even try...I stumble and slip, and I get so down on myself for not even coming close. But then I am reminded, in this verse that is meant to give comfort to the weary and heavy laden and then God reminds me,
"Jesus used the yoke to show people the impossibility of measuring up to God's standard. The instrument continues to speak today. No person can make a grade high enough to merit heaven. Attempting to do so is both frusterating and exhauting. The Yoke also teaches that Jesus does measure up." - Pastor Jim Shaddix
So because God already earned the yoke and measured up in our place, we do not have to worry. In him we have salvation and rest for our weary souls. Resting in him means, resting from the weariness of trying to measure up. Because he already did this for us, he says, my yoke is easy and my burden is light...and this is because he carrys that burden for us.
This of course isnt to say that a relationship with him doesn't require work. After all the yoke is an instrument of work. The words in this verse present the idea of work that is lightened by Jesus' help. The yoke of Christ involves work, but it is the work of love and joy.
"While Jesus asks much, he provides the strength required for people to respond."
Therefore this easy light load which results in rest, means that instead of working for Jesus, and our own personal gain, we are working with Jesus and in love of him. And when he says rest for our souls he is talking about the unending sense of peace with regards our relationship with God, knowing that we can't measure up and that is ok, because he loves us and for this reason he died for us! I know I just ranted and I'm sorry but I find such happiness in this verse. And this makes me rejoice and praise God. I love it.
Just focus on his love and if you concentrate on him and find joy in loving him, then you will find comfort and peace.
"You dont need the answers to all of lifes questions, just know that he loves them and stay by their side. Love them like Jesus, carry them to him, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light."
-Casting Crowns
Another verse I really like and that has been on my mind recently is
Nehemiah 8:10 which says, "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
This kind of goes along with the verse above. How many times a day do I worry, or get angry or something trivial and silly in the grand scheme of things. How often do I become angry or bitter or frusterating or anxious or upset over something that is not a big deal? Something as small as, having to walk to class? Or cold weather...or feeling like I would like a boyfriend right now? Or worrying about a paper or a test I might not have gotten the best grade on.
Or sometimes it is something I feel like I could have done better, or I mistake I made yesterday or a week ago! Sometimes I even ponder over things that have long since passed and become so self involved and just worry and think about how I could have done this or that better, or why did I say that? Why do I put my self worth in all these things when the reality is, I shold be finding my idenity in Christ...not in my grades, not in whether or not I have a boyfriend, or always do or say the right things or am perfect. I get mad so easily, because of my self centeredness. Where as if I were simply focuses on Christ love, it would be so much easier for me to relax, trust him and just rest in him. I could stop worrying about me, and if I do or say the right things or what others think of me. I could be secure in myself because I would be satisfied in him. I could love God, by loving others, and just find joy in doing this becuase I would be assured that Christ is my strength, and the one who sacrificed everything so that I may live.
I realize how easily I let myself get down, when there is no reason to be sad or anxious all the time. Sure, bad things happen and sometimes we don't know what is going on. But I still have a choice to be happy. Why cant I just look past all these nonsensical things and just still find his joy in my life. If I truly believe in the Cross Of Jesus and his love and what he has done for me, the joy of the Lord should be my strength every day. I often wonder why hasnt it resignated yet? I think we need to constantly remind ourselves and make an effort to find joy in the Lord each day. Even in the midst of our confusion, sufferings, pain...even when the bad days come and we let the worries and doubts of this work get the best of us, let us remember to imitate paul and be sorrowful yet always rejoiceing. But I do know that every day, no matter what is going on, we should look to the cross and be reminded of what God has done for us and that no matter how bad things get, he has promised us love, peace, joy comfort, eternal life with him and all these things...and in knowing and thinking about this we should be comforted and strengthed by his Joy. Let us not look to our accomplisments, ourselves or the opinions of man as a means by which to base our self worth and value. But let us look to the one who is most glorified in us, when we are satisfied in him.
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.
The comfort I find in this verse never ceases to amaze me. It's like, I never get tired of hearing or reading this verse and for some reason or another it instils a sense of peace within me. Somehow I know he understands and will bear all my burdens. And he will give me the strength and courage to endure till the end. When I read this I am reminded that I don't have to measure up to any standard. Sometimes I feel like I just don't measure up as a christain as a follower of Christ...I sin, heck I often don't even try...I stumble and slip, and I get so down on myself for not even coming close. But then I am reminded, in this verse that is meant to give comfort to the weary and heavy laden and then God reminds me,
"Jesus used the yoke to show people the impossibility of measuring up to God's standard. The instrument continues to speak today. No person can make a grade high enough to merit heaven. Attempting to do so is both frusterating and exhauting. The Yoke also teaches that Jesus does measure up." - Pastor Jim Shaddix
So because God already earned the yoke and measured up in our place, we do not have to worry. In him we have salvation and rest for our weary souls. Resting in him means, resting from the weariness of trying to measure up. Because he already did this for us, he says, my yoke is easy and my burden is light...and this is because he carrys that burden for us.
This of course isnt to say that a relationship with him doesn't require work. After all the yoke is an instrument of work. The words in this verse present the idea of work that is lightened by Jesus' help. The yoke of Christ involves work, but it is the work of love and joy.
"While Jesus asks much, he provides the strength required for people to respond."
Therefore this easy light load which results in rest, means that instead of working for Jesus, and our own personal gain, we are working with Jesus and in love of him. And when he says rest for our souls he is talking about the unending sense of peace with regards our relationship with God, knowing that we can't measure up and that is ok, because he loves us and for this reason he died for us! I know I just ranted and I'm sorry but I find such happiness in this verse. And this makes me rejoice and praise God. I love it.
Just focus on his love and if you concentrate on him and find joy in loving him, then you will find comfort and peace.
"You dont need the answers to all of lifes questions, just know that he loves them and stay by their side. Love them like Jesus, carry them to him, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light."
-Casting Crowns
Another verse I really like and that has been on my mind recently is
Nehemiah 8:10 which says, "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
This kind of goes along with the verse above. How many times a day do I worry, or get angry or something trivial and silly in the grand scheme of things. How often do I become angry or bitter or frusterating or anxious or upset over something that is not a big deal? Something as small as, having to walk to class? Or cold weather...or feeling like I would like a boyfriend right now? Or worrying about a paper or a test I might not have gotten the best grade on.
Or sometimes it is something I feel like I could have done better, or I mistake I made yesterday or a week ago! Sometimes I even ponder over things that have long since passed and become so self involved and just worry and think about how I could have done this or that better, or why did I say that? Why do I put my self worth in all these things when the reality is, I shold be finding my idenity in Christ...not in my grades, not in whether or not I have a boyfriend, or always do or say the right things or am perfect. I get mad so easily, because of my self centeredness. Where as if I were simply focuses on Christ love, it would be so much easier for me to relax, trust him and just rest in him. I could stop worrying about me, and if I do or say the right things or what others think of me. I could be secure in myself because I would be satisfied in him. I could love God, by loving others, and just find joy in doing this becuase I would be assured that Christ is my strength, and the one who sacrificed everything so that I may live.
I realize how easily I let myself get down, when there is no reason to be sad or anxious all the time. Sure, bad things happen and sometimes we don't know what is going on. But I still have a choice to be happy. Why cant I just look past all these nonsensical things and just still find his joy in my life. If I truly believe in the Cross Of Jesus and his love and what he has done for me, the joy of the Lord should be my strength every day. I often wonder why hasnt it resignated yet? I think we need to constantly remind ourselves and make an effort to find joy in the Lord each day. Even in the midst of our confusion, sufferings, pain...even when the bad days come and we let the worries and doubts of this work get the best of us, let us remember to imitate paul and be sorrowful yet always rejoiceing. But I do know that every day, no matter what is going on, we should look to the cross and be reminded of what God has done for us and that no matter how bad things get, he has promised us love, peace, joy comfort, eternal life with him and all these things...and in knowing and thinking about this we should be comforted and strengthed by his Joy. Let us not look to our accomplisments, ourselves or the opinions of man as a means by which to base our self worth and value. But let us look to the one who is most glorified in us, when we are satisfied in him.
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