Short and Sweet: Come and Rest by Mary Kane

Refreshment and nourishment for your soul!

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

If you are tired and weary, Jesus is calling you to come. In the Greek, come is an interjection, which means we must take immediate action. It is not God’s will for us to live in chaos and turmoil. He is the God of Peace. Our health and our relationship with God will suffer if we are torn apart by stress.

Weary refers to those who are exhausted from physical labor or grief. Heavy burdens, (in Greek: phortizo) means a load, a load with a consciousness of sin.

Carrying our sin is a heavy load … one which we cannot carry. Knowing our weakness, Jesus calls us to come to Him, permanently lay down our sin at the foot of the cross, and rest in Him.

Our daily responsibilities can become a burden if we do not take time each day in God’s Presence to regain strength and courage to carry on. I notice my responsibilities become burdens when I start living in the future; trying to figure out how I will manage this present situation for the next 2 weeks, 6 months, or 10 years. The questions roll through my mind; How can I do this another day? Where will the money come from for tomorrow? Living in the future drains my energy and causes me to squander God’s provision for the present day.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, take time to rest in God’s presence. Open His word and find healing for your soul. Ask Him to provide for you. Thank Him for how He is helping you. Rest in Him.

 Action Step:

1. Get a note card and list the situation that is causing you stress.
2. Look up a scripture that applies to your situation and write it down on the card.
3. Pray the scripture out loud into your situation throughout the day.
4. Thank God for how He is already working (even if you can’t see it yet).