Jonathan Munson, Executive Director, RFTH

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” 
Matthew 11:28-29

It’s usually around the end of the Christmas season that I start to wear down. 

As much as I love all the festivities, they can be stressful and exhausting. Honestly? Sometimes, I just want to escape to a tropical island and sing “Mele Kalikimaka” with Jimmy Buffet.

But rather than jetting off to try and escape the chaos, I have a better plan.

Jesus offers us rest in the middle of the chaos. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. 

The rest Jesus offers is unlike any other rest in the world. He’s not talking about a nap, a mental break, or even a tropical island vacation. Jesus invites us to experience “rest for our souls.” Put differently, Jesus’ rest isn’t physical; it’s spiritual, though having a soul at rest certainly benefits our physical health.  

The soul is the part of us that God “breathed into life” (Genesis 2:7), and unlike our physical bodies, our souls live forever. The good news is that we don’t have to wait until we die to have a restful soul. Right here, right now, Jesus is offering a rest that permeates every fiber of our beings and every facet of our lives.  

Yes, even during the craziness of Christmas. 

Let’s briefly unpack the rest Jesus offers:

• “Come” Jesus doesn’t force Himself on us. He simply extends an invitation. As with any invitation, we must choose whether to accept or reject it. It’s a decision we make, not only when we first come to Jesus as new believers, but every day for the rest of our lives. Even mature believers never outgrow their need for the rest Jesus offers.

• “To Me” Rest is not found in a set of beliefs, going to church, or in knowledge about Jesus or the Bible. Rest is found through a personal, intimate relationship with the living Christ.  

• “All” Jesus doesn’t exclude anyone. His invitation is open to whosoever. The only requirement is that we openly admit our need for His rest. 

• “Weary” We all get worn down by the stress and strain of life, but it’s not just about that. Jesus specifically refers to the weariness from our struggles with sin. He doesn’t command us to clean up our act before coming to Him. We can come to Him as we are: weary, broken, mired by sin, and let His love change us from the inside out.   

• “Burdened” It’s easy to feel crushed under the compounding weight of life’s burdens, but Jesus wants to help shoulder the heavy load. “Yoked” to Him, we learn a rhythm of life that makes our burdens feel lighter and easier to carry. In context, the Pharisees placed stringent religious demands on people (Luke 11:46) that were almost impossible to bear. Jesus offered them an alternative way of relating to God.    

If you think about it, Christmas is a celebration of the rest Jesus offers mankind. He was born to save the “weary and burdened” from our sins, and we first encounter His rest when we humbly come to Him for salvation. Once and for all, we are liberated from trying to earn salvation by our own self-effort, of trying to be good enough for God. Through faith, His rest comes to our souls as an act of amazing grace.     

But His rest is not something we experience only once. 

Notice Jesus says, “I will give you rest.” Translation? His rest is a gift He wants us to open immediately and continuously – anytime we need it.  (like during the final few hours before Christmas and even after Christmas) 

His rest might not shorten our To-Do lists, but it can change how we handle our responsibilities. 

His rest might not prevent a family member from driving us nuts, but it can change how we react. 

His rest might not change our circumstances, but it can help us rise above them. 

You have my permission to hit the ‘pause’ button and pull away from the holiday madness for a few moments. Intentionally draw near to Jesus. Let go of your way of doing life and do life His way. Allow Him to help carry your burdens. He wants nothing more than to refresh and reinvigorate your soul.  

The question is- Will you accept or reject His invitation?  

I pray that you will have yourself a restful, little Christmas.

“We who have believed in Jesus enter into rest even now. Why should we not do so? Our salvation is complete. The robe of righteousness in which we are clad is finished. The atonement for our sins is fully made. We are reconciled to God, beloved of the Father, preserved by His grace, and supplied by His providence with all that we need. We carry all our burdens to Him and leave them at His feet…Oh, yes, we have found rest unto our souls!” -Charles Spurgeon

DIG DEEPER
Read “Did Jesus Come to Bring Peace on Earth?” at GotQuestions.org