I WILL GIVE YOU REST

Once a reformed alcoholic promised to join me in helping others who suffer from the addiction.  Making the best of the offer I referred a case to him.  His response was that the new client is not broken enough to be helped.  Unless those to be helped realise that things are beyond their control and they need help, no one could help them.  It is the sense of dependency on the doctors that help a sick person to receive proper medical treatment.  This is true in every aspect of life.  Brokenness in life makes it easy to realise the need to depend on others.  Someone who is totally broke would be totally dependent, like a child clinging to its mum.  Clinging to Jesus like a child, with a sense of total dependence, can give you a personal knowledge of Jesus which no scholarship can provide.  We learn this great wisdom from Jesus himself who was humble enough to reveal his childlike submission to the Father in Heaven.

For a disciple who has a childlike submission to Jesus, the Word of God will not be a burden, but a delight to hear and follow, just like a child cherishes the words coming out of its mum’s mouth.  The word yoke is a metaphor for the Law of Moses or the religious precepts.  If the law of Moses are seen as legal restrictions on your life, they will be a burden for you.  But when you experience the Word of God guiding your life like that of a loving parent, you will appreciate how light and easy it is.  Once your faith in Jesus acquires a personal dimension, you will see it providing a new life, even if your life seems to be a failure. You may have lost your job or suffering from the health concerns or felt rejection from others, or whatever, a personal relationship with Jesus can provide a new life for you.  Jesus said, if your life seems to be burdensome, trusting in Him as your personal saviour will help you rest.  It is a rest like that of God in the book of Genesis.  God who created the world, after each day’s work found them good.  At the end of all creation, which was completed in six days, God rested on the seventh day with a sense of accomplishment.  Similarly, if you trust Jesus and depend on him to recreate your life from whatever brokenness you may have, you will be able to rest with a sense of joy and accomplishment.  Let this good news be the guidance for your life.