Daily Devotionals

Hope for the Weary and Burdened

Posted in Peace/Rest

Scripture:  “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

I sat in the third row of the church one Sunday in October.  We normally don’t make it up that close to the front, but our five-year-old was singing with the Angel Choir.  As Pastor Mark pointed out the stained glass windows during “Time With the Children,” I noticed the Scripture reference written above Jesus’ head in the front window – Matthew 11:28.  Yes, I have grown up at Eastminster.  No, I don’t remember this sticking out to me before!  I had been asked to write a devotional for after Christmas and had been praying for guidance on a topic.  As I flipped to the verse, I thought, “YES, Lord.  This is it.”  It is only October and I already feel “weary and burdened” – imagine what I will feel come December 26.  I imagine it is the same for many of you. 

Right after I wrote down this verse in my notes from church, I wrote down a quote from Brad’s sermon.  “Ignore the temptations of our time, ignore the distractions.”   Jesus gives us the answer to this.  We do not have to feel weighed down by what we perceive to be our obligations in this life.  We can learn from him by studying our Bibles, we can take on his yoke, we can rest in him.   In fact, if we are truly learning to rest in him, we will probably realize that a lot of the other “stuff” does not matter nearly as much as we think it does.  This doesn’t promise that we will not face difficulties and trials, but that we can persevere and rest in the hope that God has given us through the birth of his Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Prayer:  Dear God, help me to live in the promise that I can rest in Jesus. Thank you for the Baby in the manger.  May the excitement of Sharing the Story not end with the Christmas season, but continue year round.  Let us not see that as a burden, but as the gift that it is.  Amen.

 

Submitted by: Laura Self