Everyone is carrying weights. Not all of them are bad. Some of them are actually good. We carry the good weights of relationships, family, ministry, work and purpose.
Others are carrying bad weights of sin, bitterness and guilt. I’m not here to talk about bad weights today. I want to focus on your good weights.
No matter how good a weight is, there’s always one problem. Those weights can be heavy. Carrying the cross of Jesus for instance can be hard, but we are instructed to carry it still.
So when we’re tired from all the carrying, what do we do? I want to point you to a scripture that can be all too familiar to us, but one we can learn from today.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””
Matthew 11:28-30
Three words that pop into my mind from this scripture that will bring greater energy upon you as you approach Jesus:
1. “All”
The best part about coming to Jesus is that it’s an open invitation to everyone. No matter who you are, how high your position is in your company or how much responsibility you carry, you can and should come to Jesus.
Because of who Jesus is to us and who we are to Him, we can come freely. Jesus did not say in the scripture, “Come to me all who have given their tithes and offering,” or “Come to me all who did not miss church yet this year.” He said “Come to me ALL…” All are invited to freely approach Christ.
2. “Yoke”
As all come freely to Christ, the first thing He does is invite us to take His yoke. When we do so, Jesus also takes our heavy and burdensome yoke. Do you find the weight of your work, ministry or relationships heavy? You don’t have to carry them on your own.
To carry Christ’s yoke means to wear the identity of Christ as now being children of God now, gaining access to our Heavenly Father. It also means we now wear Christ’s ability and empowering. Remember how Jesus once said we would do the things He did and even greater? (John 14:22)
3. “Learn”
Next to taking up Jesus’ yoke, He also instructs us to learn from Him. The word learn here is the Greek word “mathete” which is the root word for the Greek version of “disciple.” To come to Christ also means to be a disciple of Christ.
God is not just some vending machine of rest that we come to for extra ounces of power. He’s a discipler who is more than ready to teach us new and better ways to live life. When we approach Christ, He not only gives us fish. He also teaches us to fish.
