“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). These verses were prescribed to the unrestful Jews who labored and were heavy laden with 613 listed laws, regulations and traditions. They were unrestful legalists who had a long-lists of don’t and do’s. Everywhere they went, their burdens went with them. Their yoke with law was very hard. The more they labored the farther they were from the Lord. They were always unrested with heavy burdens. Why? It is impossible to rest while bearing burdens. Unrest leads to stress. That camel should not have tried to carry that last straw. Are you also heavy laden? Are you carrying more than you can bare? There is a saying, “Sit down and take a heavy load off your feet.” Well, this verse is for you!
You will never find rest as long as you have stress. Rest and stress are incompatible. The word “rest” simply means to “sit down” and take a heavy load off your feet. Place your heavy load on the comfortable, cozy chair. When you “sit down” you slowly experience that “Ahhh moment.” Physically, there are times you are weary and heavy laden and you go to “your” favorite comfortable, cozy chair to relax and rest. It seems we all have a “sweet spot,” and it is usually that comfortable, cozy chair. It is MY chair. Spiritually, there are also times you are weary and heavy laden from bearing and carrying your own burdens. You also need to take a load off yourself.
Notice the process: (1) Come unto me, (2) Take my yoke upon you, (3) Learn of me, then I will give you rest. Come and cast your cares off you and roll them upon Him (1 Pet. 5:7). Take His yoke upon you. The yoke of law were hard, but the yoke of the Lord is easy. Learn that He will work all things together for your good and His glory.
If you are weary and heavy laden say, this verse is written especially for me. Say, “Lord, that’s me, here I come.” Run to Him as you would run to that “favorite” comfortable and cozy easy chair. Sit down, be still and know that He is God (Psa. 46:10). Learn: Let the Lord do for you what you cannot do for yourself. It is mentioned four times that what is over your head is under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25,27; Eph. 1:2; Heb. 2:8). So don’t be as the Pharisees never resting but always yoked with heavy burdens wherever you go.
Learn: His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Those heavy burdens are no longer on you but upon Him. They are G-O-N-E. Yea! Is your heavy burden on you or on the Lord? Well, sit down and take a load off you and put it upon the Lord. Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them “there.” Then comes that long awaited “Ahhh moment.” Stop carrying – Start casting.
