Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NIV
What a wonderful promise. Jesus is not necessarily talking about physical rest. He is speaking about the impossible task of bearing our own sin. He is referring to the false notion that salvation comes from works.
Although we must live within the will of God, Jesus revealed that the burden was light. If we believe in him and turn from sin, we are saved. He relieves the burden of being weighed down by our sins.
The Law and the Prophets
Jesus relieves the burden of overcomplicated religious doctrine. The Lord simplified and summarized the commandments. In Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. KJV”
We read in Isaiah 57:20, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. WEB” Jesus carried the burden of our wickedness and sin to the cross. On that cross he paid the wages for our iniquity.
By the grace of God salvation salvation is found for all who believe in Christ. To the end of the age, Jesus beckons sinners to repentance saying, “Come to me, I will give you rest.”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the gift of salvation through your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Jesus, for bearing the burden of my sin on the cross. Guide me to lead a life that is pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Friends and Brothers
