My burden is light

Today I had one of those moments. One of those humbling moments where God reveals something to you from His word and it hits you in such a wonderfully and powerfully moving way. It came from a passage of scripture that I know I have said many times, I have read over and over again in my life. I have even preached on this passage in the past. However, today as I was seeking God, spending time in his presence in the word and prayer... it hit me. The passage I am referring to is found in Matthew 11: 28-30. “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.”

I like the way that the message put’s this passage: “ Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill- fitting on you.”

As I read these words... there was a sense of life and breathe that seemed to emanate from these words as they spoke to my spirit. That feeling of Christ speaking directly to me with the words.. “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life... walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it.” For me, it was this sense of relationship and intimacy the I found in Christ’s words. As though he was saying to me... “Nathan... I know that you try to do so much on your strength. You try to function on your gifting... But was it not I who gave you this passion? Was it not I who gave you these gifting for my glory?... Get away with me my child... learn my ways.. my ways and only my way will give you the peace, rest and fulfillment of life that you desire.”

This simple understanding. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life... there is no way to the Father except through Him. I used to always think along these terms as though these passages were for someone else. For the person who is at the end of their rope and than needs to come crawling back and finding this rest. But, the reality that I found today is. I long to have this rest everyday. It’s not about going along on my own strength, using my own wisdom and trying to function... getting burned out and than returning to find rest. NO!. It’s about coming daily, learning to lay down my rights... and finding rest, peace and fulfillment in that. In that very thought.. I need to learn how Christ did it. How he had relationship with Father, how he served, loved, led and sacrificed to show love to this world. To take up my cross daily and to follow His ways. Not my own.

This week, this seems to be the reoccurring theme in my life. Humility, sacrifice and living for his sake.. not my own.