MATTHEW 11:28-30 – Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

THEME OF THE DAY. THE PROMISED REST OF CHRIST. Today’s scripture is one of the greatest invitations found in the entire Bible. Within it is revealed the longing of every human being – soul rest. It also points us directly to the place where that rest is found – the Lord Jesus. This passage has soothed countless sin weary hearts throughout church history. It has also been the balm of healing for God’s people who feel buffeted by Satan, beat down by their many failures, and longing for that inward peace that passes all understanding.

As great as this invitation is to all tired individuals; as wonderful as this invitation is with encouragement; and as glorious as the Lord Jesus is to extend it to us, there are conditions to be met. Unless they are, the promised rest will remain unfelt. Unless the conditions as given by Jesus are sought, the rest of soul we may have will not be had. And there are three.

First, to know the inward rest Jesus promises we must come to Him. We don’t come to a Bible verse, a favorite song, a church, a counselor, a close friend, or anything, anyone else. Yes, all these may have their places in living out the Christian life, but our rest, our everything is in the Person of Jesus Christ. We come singularly to Him and the means of this coming is His Word and prayer. Don’t look for a substitute for soul rest. There isn’t one. It is in Christ alone we find the promised rest.

The next condition we must meet to enjoy our Lord’s invitation to have soul rest is obeying His command “take His yoke upon us.” A yoke is used by a farmer to steer the animal pulling a plow or wagon. Whether it be cattle or oxen, the yoke is to keep the animal “on course.” The application for us is we must be committed to following the Lord’s will, not ours. We cannot have His rest but not His will. God is not our servant and He will not allow us to have His rest for self-serving purposes. We simply must decide, “Our yokes or Christ’s yoke”. If we want His rest, we must wear His yoke or do His will.

The third condition to know soul rest is also Jesus’ third command – “learn from Me.” Here is where the believer must be disciplined in the Word of God. Where do we learn from Jesus? The Bible. We may pray and pray and pray and beg and beg and beg the Lord for rest, but if we neglect the means of rest, His Word, we will remain without His promised rest.

We are promised what we were created for, then saved for – a heart and soul at rest, enjoying the peace of God. It is there for us through the grace of the Lord Jesus, but with conditions. May He stir our hearts and minds to meet them and know the rest He freely gives for those who seek it.

PRAYER: “Father, help me to not only believe in Your Son for my rest, but seek Him for my rest.”

QUOTE: “Christ’s promise of rest is available to all who seek Him for that rest.”