Come to Me and I will give you Rest

One of my favorite words of our Lord is recorded in Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  The words...."I will give you rest."

Jesus wants us to have rest.  While that can be physical, I want to submit His words are mainly for soulish rest.  Its the kind of internal rest that can not be gotten through a good night's sleep, a week on the beach, or the absence of physical toil.  

Rest...oh, how precious the commodity of grace.

The most important rest Jesus offers is eternal rest.  And He is the only one who can give it.  The secret is found in Hebrews 4:4 "For He has spoken in a certain place on the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.'"

The rest is from "works." God rested "from all His works" referring to the six days of labor in creating the world and all we see today, and even what we can't see even through the most powerful telescope.  

The secret is in Hebrew 4:10 "For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His."

We are cease from our works.  Does that mean we no longer have any "work" to do?  We no longer have to serve, work, or labor in good works?  Hardly....other Scriptures clearly declare "we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works..." (Ephesians 2:10)

The rest in regard to our reason we work.  Because of the grace of salvation, we do not work for our approval and right standing (righteousness) before God with our works.  Instead, we "rest" in the person and position of Jesus as our full acceptance and approval for His grace.  We do NOTHING to earn His grace, approval, or Heaven.  It is "the gift of God..."

Has your soul found rest?  Solace? Peace?  

The old hymn "Rock of Ages" says it well:

"Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die."

I have written about rest previously .... check it out here.

July 3, 2023

June 12, 2023 and then June 19

January 21, 2013 and then January 22