Nestled between rebukes of unrepentant cities and proud religious elites, Jesus offers one of His most tender invitations. The epitome of being instead of doing. Jesus condemns the spiritual blindness of Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. The Lord gave them more than enough evidence to repent and receive life, but they refused to receive it. Oh, these “wise ones” who cannot understand the simplest truth. No, it is the humble and dependent ones who receive the revelation. The children and the child-like.
Then Jesus offers to those who approach Him as children:
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 humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Can we just take a moment to breathe this in?
Is anyone tired of the performative dance called “religion”? Has anyone stressed themselves out trying to live up to a man-made standard? Has any been made to feel lesser-than because they have a limit to their ability to sacrifice for the religious institution?
Jesus offers the solution. He does not give us a to-do list including more prayer, more reading, more serving, more singing, more planning center, more attendance, more doing, more more.
Once again, pause, and breathe it in.
The solution is to rest. Not just stop doing things. Sometimes that’s what we need, but Jesus invites us to rest in Him. A yoke, as you may know, is an instrument of hard work and production. Two animals are linked by a yoke, giving them the ability to pull a greater weight for a longer time. But when you are yoked to Jesus, it’s not so you can do more. He proclaims, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
As a church leader, I rely on volunteers. I need a lot of people to do a lot of work to accomplish the tasks of modern ministry. However, far more important than putting in hours of work at the church is putting in hours of rest with Jesus. Tending our souls and ministering from a place of overflow, not exhaustion.
Friends, guilt is a horrible motivator. You may keep working and serving until you are burned out and exhausted… in Jesus’ name. Sometimes, even well-meaning leaders push people from rest to exhaustion. But guilt is a terrible motivator. Jesus doesn’t lead that way. There is a time to work, and a time to play, and a time to rest. Consider this your invitation to enjoy some time in the presence of the One who is humble in heart, and find rest for your soul
So, before you rush to do more, rest. Let Jesus carry the weight. He isn’t recruiting you to religion; He’s inviting you into a relationship. Your soul was made for this.
The Introverted Pastor 