Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NIV
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus called all the people who were crumbling under the weight of upholding futile traditions, weary of trying to gain salvation through their works, to come to Him as He alone could offer them rest from the slavery of sin. Jesus is still calling. Today! Come to Him.
The timeless parable of the prodigal son found in the book of Luke chapter 15 demonstrates the outright eagerness of the father to save his son from the slavery of sin. But the father patiently waited for his son’s return.
Jesus’ call in the verse above expresses His eagerness to save all people. “Come to me”- He yearningly calls and patiently waits for our response. His call is paramount, and our response is crucial. Let us respond to His call by repenting of our sins and finding rest in His forgiveness by faith.
The two themes in the verse are sin and faith.
Sin
Sin makes us weary and will burden our lives. It can enslave us. Some sins we tend to ignore are selfishness, pride, gossip, fear, worry, gluttony, hatred, and covetousness. We may be guilty of one or more of these sins. Let us repent and lay down these heavy burdens at the foot of the cross today.
Faith
Have faith in Jesus. Trust that His death on the cross has the power to save us. He will forgive us when we truly repent. Then we can dwell in His rest.
Romans 8:1-2 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
The Holy Spirit is our Helper. Let us walk with the Holy Spirit. May our words and deeds be guided by Him.
