“Come unto me…,” it is a gentle prompting from our Savior with a beautiful gift—a promise of rest, should we choose to comply. Why do we have such a hard time following this command? Why are we so stubborn that we don’t take Him up on His word when such great benefit awaits us? His yoke is easy and light! Are we too busy trying to work it out ourselves? Are we thinking that resting means giving up? Do we believe a Christian life means pulling our weight? I pray that you will examine your current position in your study of this verse. Ask yourself whether you are experiencing His “rest” today.
➊ What about this story/context/verse stands out to me? ____________________________________________________ ➋ How is this different from the life I live now? How is this different from the society and culture I’m a part of? (Matthew 23:4; Mark 7:1-13; Matthew 6:1-8) ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ➌ How does this passage challenge me? (John 6:27) ____________________________________________________ ➍ Where do I see Jesus, or miss Jesus in this passage? (Matthew 5:5, Philippians 2:2-8; Jeremiah 6:16) ____________________________________________________ ➎ Assess myself. What am I missing in my life that God wants me to have? (Psalm 40:8 ) ____________________________________________________ ➏ Is there someone else who could use this in their life? How would I share it? …......………………………………………………………………. Adrienne Rowe-Saulsbury is an elementary school teacher and crafter who writes from Columbus, Ohio.
From Ellen G. White’s Ministry of Healing, “The Touch of Faith,” p. 71, 72.** “Tenderly He bade the toiling people, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:29. In these words, Christ was speaking to every human being. Whether they know it or not, all are weary and heavy-laden. All are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove. The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. But the Sinless One has taken our place. “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6. He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear. He invites us to cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart. The Elder Brother of our race is by the eternal throne. He looks upon every soul who is turning his face toward Him as the Saviour. He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity, what are our wants, and where lies the strength of our temptations; for He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15. He is watching over you, trembling child of God. Are you tempted? He will deliver. Are you weak? He will strengthen. Are you ignorant? He will enlighten. Are you wounded? He will heal. The Lord “telleth the number of the stars;” and yet “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:4, 3. Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The way will be open for you to disentangle yourself from embarrassment and difficulty. The weaker and more helpless you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in casting them upon your Burden Bearer. Circumstances may separate friends; the restless waters of the wide sea may roll between us and them. But no circumstances, no distance, can separate us from the Saviour. Wherever we may be, He is at our right hand, to support, maintain, uphold, and cheer. Greater than the love of a mother for her child is Christ’s love for His redeemed. It is our privilege to rest in His love, to say, “I will trust Him; for He gave His life for me.” Human love may change, but Christ’s love knows no change. When we cry to Him for help, His hand is stretched out to save. “The mountains may depart, And the hills be removed; But My loving-kindness shall not depart from thee, Neither shall My covenant of peace be removed, Saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee.” Isaiah 54:10, A.R.V …......…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ELLEN G. WHITE (1827-1915), one of the most published authors in the world, named one of the “100 Most Significant Americans of All Time” by the Smithsonian Institution in 2014, was a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. *You can read The Desire of Ages in its entirety online at www.whiteestate.org/onlinebooks.
_________________ *You can read The Desire of Ages in its entirety online at www.whiteestate.org/onlinebooks.
THE SEVEN QUESTIONS:
This article is part of our 2022 March/April Issue
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At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then 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 at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:25-30, (NLT)*
A Reflection
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
This article is part of our 2022 March/April Issue
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