Come!

 

The morning started out like any other day. Alarm went off. Your husband has got up and ready as Your mind was still caught between the phrase of just five more minutes and the demands of the day. You turn over to see the time. It's 7:21 a.m. and the day is calling. You lay there wondering what would happen if you ignored the day and just stayed in the cozy nest of your bed. Then the guilt that your husband has now left for work sets in and you can't just lie here while he's working.

It's been a long week the kids have been a little tougher this week. The house feels like the seams are coming undone into the current life schedule of family appointments, and the extracurriculars just seem like more than you have bargained for. To top it off you're feeling the financial pinch Some days it's more like suffocation of the current economy. Perhaps staying home with the kids was a bad idea, or your job still isn't enough to supplement with the family needs. You look around at all your friends and it actually feels like everyone is struggling in some ways either financially, with their kids, their marriages, their singleness, hopelessness in the future, and the list doesn't end there. You see a broken and tired and weary world. It's a lot. We are too weak to carry it all so we fumble along doing what we can but always falling short of expectations, someone's needs or demands, and of fulfillment. 

We are looking in the wrong places.

Jesus says in Matthew 11 verse 28 to 29, "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."

Jesus beckons us to go to Him. Just as we are. Weary, burned out, run down, tired, worn out, feeling lost, uninspired, exhausted, confused, hurt, unseen, depleted, sick, whatever state we are in. We are not meant to go to Him in perfect state. He wants us to go to Him as we are, He will take care of the rest. 

The rest that meets us where we are at, nourishes our soul, and then ripples out of our pours from the inside out. The kind of rest that lightens our load. When Christ calls us to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him we often can see that as another 'to do' list or exhausting state that requires us to need to do something. Doesn't it always feel like everyone wants everything from us, and no one feeds us and fills us up? The world, the spouse, the kids, the friends, the school activities, the ministry needs, every corner of life seems to want from us. 

So is God asking to run us dry as well? No. The beauty of taking His yoke upon us is that it means carrying the burden of life in a way that actually means He carries the weight for us. We share our burdens with Him, and we share the weight, although He carries the heaviness of them. 

It calls us to learn from the master of rest and peace of how to walk this life in a way that lightens our burdens, and supplies us with the means to live life abundantly as John 10:10 calls us to. When we choose to take His yoke upon us and learn from Christ we choose to follow what's better and we will be filled through following His example. He guides and transforms with grace and mercy. He brings rest and peace to our lives which in turn we reflect as we glorify Him through our lives. 

He meets us in our most vulnerable state and transforms us into a state of wholeness in Him. He lavishes His love on us, carries us, heals our wounds, and is faithful and just to forgive us and redeem us.

You my dear are not alone if you're feeling overwhelmed by your current life responsibilities, the state of our world, or your circumstances. Jesus wants you to go to him. He will give you rest. What does that truly look like to take your day and give it to Christ to work through? Start your day with prayer. One of my favorite moments in the day is being in prayer with the Creator in that moment when guilt starts to set in because I'm still in bed and don't want to get up. I love to give the first moment of rebellion towards my responsibilities to him. 

I ask for strength, and sometimes courage to dig into the tasks of my day. 

I ask God to guide my attitude and intentionality throughout the day. 

I ask him for energy for the challenges that I don't know of yet but I know will come. 

I pray for creativity to deal with the day and bring joy into my home. 

I pray for my husband and his time going to and returning from work. That his mind and body will work well, and be energized to serve his coworkers well, and reflect Christ in his dealings with everyone he interacts with.

I pray for opportunity to pour into my children in ways that matter and will leave an eternal impact.

Perhaps more importantly I thank God for my children, their personalities, quirks and the way they are growing. I ask God to help them in areas of struggle and thank Him for struggles that lead to growth. 

I thank God for one more day of life and the opportunity to know, worship, and love Him. 

I won't lie and say that just because I've spent time in prayer my attitude has changed instantly on those off days. Sometimes it absolutely does and starts me off on the right foot towards an easier time glorifying God and all I do, however there are other days when meeting with my Heavenly Father to start the day helps sets my sights on him but I still have to discipline my heart and actions to follow.

On those days I'm especially thankful for the cross and the grace and mercy afforded us because of what Christ did on the cross for us all. All we need to do is just come to him, give him what we have, and let Him be and give us rest and refine us towards His plan and purpose and for His glory. 

I invite you to come to Him. 

Perhaps today it will be at the time you're reading this. During your baby's nap time give him your tired mothering moments and your joyful Kingdom work in the home. 

Perhaps you're on a bus on your way from class and you're exhausted from lectures and assignments. Give him your aching note-taking fingers dreams and future. Let him refresh your studying mind. 

Maybe you've got an older family and the current climate of the world makes you worried for their future and ability to succeed and thrive in what some days feels like a bleak future under the current state of the world. Lay it down at the cross. All the burdens and worries. 

Come to Him and He will give you rest.

Take a moment to consider what areas you might need to adjust, shift your day or schedule time to intentionally come to Him. As Christ works in those moments be intentional in looking for other moments you can continue giving to Him. Your morning commute, your kids tantrums, your shower, bathroom time, worship drives, the options are endless. 

Let Him transform you. Spend time in His Word getting to know him and learning from Him. Tell Him your frustrations, be honest about your heart condition and how you feel. Lay it at His feet. Doesn't have to be pretty, just real and honest.

Just come!