Rest

Rest

Jesus said; “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly and the burden I give you is light”.
Matthew 11:28-30, NLT

I have come to believe that the one thing many of us thirst and hunger for, sometimes beyond anything else, is REST. Not rest like a weekend at the beach or a midday nap, but a deeper rest that speaks peace and calm to the turmoil that can occupy our minds and our hearts. Rest that refreshes us deep on the inside where we are tired to the very core.

So if it is the one thing that we all long for, why do we find it so hard to simply lay down our burdens and run to the Lord? Surely it sounds so easy, and yet the reality is that to surrender goes against our very human nature. If we are not in control, how will we know we are safe?!

Maybe there are many different reasons we struggle to truly surrender, and the weariness is permeating our hearts. Perhaps we don’t recognize what the burdens we are carrying actually are. Unforgiveness, worry, guilt, shame, hopelessness, despair, sin, wrong responsibility – these are all things that can weigh down our hearts and rob us of the peace and rest that our Father has for us today. A peace and rest that affirms our Father God has us safe in the palm of His hands, as we allow Him to be in control.

True rest from the Lord is never conditional on our circumstances. As we run to the Lord, it may not automatically erase the struggles that we are going through, or the difficulties we face. It is purely a gift from the Lord as we come to that place of surrender - a deep assurance that no matter what is around us – our Father God is way big enough to carry what is too much for us to bear. What a wonderful relief!

There is a beautiful song written by David Hind and the words sum it up perfectly:

For every disappointment
For every broken heart
For every one in darkness
A light…

For every wounded person
For every tired mind
For every hopeless situation
A hope…

For everyone who is desperate
For everyone who is lost
For everyone who is fearful
A shelter…

For every painful question
For every one’s regrets
For every cry of “why God”
An answer…

The Cross still stands
The Cross still towers
His blood still cleanses
Eternally the same.


Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your humble, gentle character that beckons me to come to you and lay down the burdens of my heart. Thank you that when I do, you hold them safe and know exactly why I have carried them for so long. Lord, I am sorry for trying so hard to be strong in my own strength. Please teach me to run only to you that I may experience the relief of your rest, knowing you hold it all in your control. Help me Lord to remember that for every situation and burden in my life, your Cross and who you are stands eternally the same. I love you Lord Jesus, Amen.


Today's Writer : Cath Taylor Cath Taylor joined the Ellel Grange team back in 1992. Cath is married to Andy and they have three sons; Jake, Ben and Isaac. Together, Andy and Cath now live in Florida and lead the Ellel USA team.