By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader
Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (NRSVUE)
Recently, I have had discussions about rest. Several have suggested I needed to do that. I confessed I had trouble finding a "pause" button. So, when the word REST and this scripture appeared on Day 22 of Pauses For Lent, I knew I needed to reflect on it. I've lost count of the many times I've heard this passage and thought, "I am weary. I'd like to experience rest, but I need to make one more call, read one more email, send one more text..." Sound familiar?
As I paused to study this, I remembered Jesus was speaking to the crowds following him. The heavy burdens were the massive number of religious rules the Pharisees and Sadducees created to enhance the Ten Commandments. The rules numbered in the thousands. Practicing Jews couldn't possibly obey all of them and felt burdened.
Jesus' words teach what one needs to do to be an unburdened Christian. He said, "Learn from me, and you will find rest for your souls." Learning involves hearing, practicing, and applying His ways, which bring rest. He teaches me to care for my soul and find spiritual rest by:
· giving up anxiety and experiencing peace
· releasing depression and finding joy
· naming fear and feeling love
· replacing doubt and knowing hope.
How can His yoke be easy? A yoke connects two animals with the experienced one providing leadership and direction as the inexperienced one learns. So, Jesus' easy yoke involves walking with Him and using His strength to lighten my load. If I do this, He promises rest that feeds my soul, relief that I am not alone in this journey, and refreshment so I can be a disciple carrying His message.
Reflection question: What can I let go of today so I can rest and let God feed my soul?
Loving God, Thank you for offering your yoke to us. Help us accept it and feel your presence in our daily lives. Guide us as we clear our calendars to make more time for you. May we feel refreshed as we do your will. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have you enjoyed these reflections? Has God placed a word on your heart to share with others? We invite you to consider sharing a brief scriptural reflection as well. Speak to Betty, our elected Lay Leader, or one of the pastors for more information.