Jesus has some words of grace for quite a few of us this week. Of course, there are the dark valleys of grief that many of us are experiencing because beloved friends and family have ended their journey in this world and now live their new lives with Jesus Christ. Of course, we are joyful for the eternal life that they now enjoy with Jesus, but it still leaves a heavy weight of sadness on our own shoulders.
Others are struggling with problems in jobs and relationships; problems that they would have never guessed that they would ever encounter. “These are struggles that others encounter, not us,” we say to ourselves. Yet, the struggles have clamped their jaws around our necks anyway, and we struggle to find any sort of peace and grace in our lives. We need some words of grace.
And, Jesus has the words ready for us to hear. “Come,” Jesus says. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” “Come to me…and find rest for your souls,” he beckons. “Come.”
Come to the Altar
Some
of the burdens thrown on our shoulders come completely from the outside of our bodies
and lives. Jesus points this out clearly. He points out how people burden us with their
expectations and demands. The powerful people
of his time try to throw their own expectations of life upon John the Baptist. They “tisk” as they observe him fasting from
food and drink. He, of course, is
identifying with his own people, the Israelites, calling them to repent as
their ancestors did in the wilderness. The
powerful ignore his call to faithfulness, though they should not, and they
dismiss him as having a demon.
Jesus, on the other hand, is accused by the same people as being a glutton and drunkard, as he spends his time with those who need him; those enslaved by disease and sin. The leaders would prefer he not associate with such sinners…the scum of the streets.
These powerful leaders want to throw a cattle yoke upon them both, chastising them and picking on them, so that they can make John and Jesus bend to their own wills. And, there are a great many of us who have felt this sort of pressure from the outside to bend to other people’s wills, ever though we are pretty certain they are wrong.
Sometimes, we throw that cattle yoke upon ourselves, expecting the impossible from ourselves and chastising ourselves for our failures. Sometimes that critical voice in our heads can be just as enslaving as those leaders of Jesus’ time.
But, Jesus has a better idea. How about we strive for his kingdom? It is a kingdom of love and forgiveness. It is an easy yoke. God’s love is easy to accept and easy to share, if you allow Jesus to lead.
Let Your Kingdom Come
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are
carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Come to Jesus and find rest. Come to Jesus and be refreshed by a gushing water that never stops flowing from within. Come to Jesus and drink in the easy life of love and grace.
The Well
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