Resting In Jesus, pt 1
OPENING PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you today with our simple human needs and desires. You are great and powerful, more than we can comprehend. Please speak gently to us through your Word so that there is a change in us. Amen.
READ:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Do you want to rest in Jesus?
Step one: Jesus implores, “Come to me…” Why? “I will give you rest.” Is there anyone who doesn’t want rest for their soul? It often feels like life is coming at us hard and fast. Don’t come to yourself and your own thoughts. The more time we spend on self-reflection the more we crowd out Jesus.
How can we rest in Jesus? According to this week’s chosen verse, Matthew 11:28, we rest by being yoked to him. You will be yoked to something; choose Jesus. His yoke is light.
Matthew 6:25-34 tells us not to worry. How can you rest in Jesus if you are worrying about tomorrow? Impossible! 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Resting in Jesus is soul work.
APPLY:
As you rest today in Jesus, consider his words in John 15:1-4: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. We know that in this life we will be yoked to something. Soften our hearts to your word. Let it be a living thing, shaping and encouraging us. Give us rest. Amen.
WORSHIP: