Come to Me and I Will Give You Rest

Transcript

0:37

Welcome to Beyond Sunday, and thanks for joining me for day 11 of our series anchored in God's Promises. Each day this month, we've been slowing down long enough to receive one truth from God's word. One promise to anchor our hearts as we walk through real life. Today's promise is one of the most tender invitations Jesus ever gave. It's found in Matthew chapter 11, verse 28. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Jesus begins with just a few words that change everything. Come to me. It's an invitation, not a requirement. He doesn't say Fix yourself first. He doesn't say earn your place. He simply says, come. That's the heart of the gospel, that we don't have to clean ourselves up to approach Jesus. We come to him as we are. And he does the healing. And this isn't a one time invitation. This is a standing offer extended daily to the soul that feels weary, overwhelmed, anxious, or guilty. He wants you close, not perfect, just present. So who's this invitation for? He says, all who are weary and burdened. That's a wide net, right? If you're exhausted from trying to keep it all together, if you're carrying the weight of other people's expectations, if you're tired of fighting the same battles inside your mind or heart, this promise is for you. The word burden paints the picture of someone weighed down with a load too heavy to carry, and Jesus says, if that's you, bring it to me. He's not overwhelmed by what overwhelms you. He's not put off by your mess. He welcomes it. He welcomes you. And don't miss that one part where he says, I will give you rest. Not earned, but given this isn't rest, you have to work for. This isn't the kind of rest that comes after the to-do list is finished or the problem is solved. This is soul rest, the kind that comes only from being near the savior. The Greek word for rest here carries the meaning of relief, refreshment, and calm. It's the opposite of striving. It's the stillness that comes when you finally lay down the weight and realize you don't have to carry it alone. Jesus isn't offering a nap. He's offering peace. Peace that goes deeper than exhaustion. Peace that reaches into your very core and says, you're safe here. There was a season in ministry when I constantly was pouring out sermons, meetings, counseling, crisis after crisis events, and on the outside things looked fruitful, but inside I was drawing up. One morning I was reading that verse again and I felt Jesus saying, Hey, you've been running for me, but not always with me. Nick you're tired because you've been trying to do what Only I can sustain. I stopped and closed my Bible and prayed the simplest prayer I could pray. Jesus, I need rest. Not a vacation rest for my soul. That prayer didn't fix everything in a day, but it brought a shift. I started coming to him daily, not just for task, but for presence. And slowly the rest returned. Today's challenge is simple but powerful. Come, come to Christ before you. Check the next thing off your list, before you respond to the text, before you hustle into the next responsibility. Take 60 seconds. And come to Jesus. You don't have to say much. Just be still. Invite him in, lay down your burden and let him carry what you were never meant to hold alone. Let's pray. Jesus, thank you that you don't require perfection. You simply ask us to come. Thank you for offering rest to the weary, comfort to the overwhelmed, and peace to those who are running on empty. Today we lay down our burdens at your feet. Trusting that you are strong enough to carry them and gentle enough to carry us In your name we pray, amen. Thanks for spending part of your day here with me on Beyond Sunday. If this promise brought peace to your heart, take a second and share it with someone who needs that same invitation to rest. I'll see you back here tomorrow.