◄ God, My Rest (Study In God - All I Need-14) ►

Study - GOD, All I Need

Come unto Me, all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you REST.
Matthew 11:28

Need for Rest

How we all greatly long for rest.. not merely a break in life’s routine, or a cessation from the round of daily toils, but a peace and harmony within. A calmness and tranquillity, deep in our inner being. I may be physically resting, but my soul may be ceaselessly in turmoil. I may be doing nothing.. but maintain an inward disorder of raging confusion. I may be sleeping on feather pillows, but be restless within and far from being at ease.

Call to Rest

Thoughts and imaginations of what may be, can combine to tremblings and turmoil. Fears within and fancies without can amalgamate to demolish any semblance of rest. But amid the turmoil of life; the confusion of hearts; the agitations of living, we have an invitation from the God of Rest… to come aside and rest awhile… The Psalmist gently reminds us to, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.. and He shall give thee the desires of your heart.. Rest, I say.. Rest in the Lord. Psalm 37:7

Response to Rest

"We all will be receiving a wonderful heavenly rest, one day", I hear you say…"but I need rest from my restlessness and agitations, here and now…" But never forget that if God sees the last gasping breath of a tiny sparrow, fluttering helplessly to the ground – will He not much more care for you, and provide the rest He has promised you?

Responsibility to Rest

How seriously we need to take hold of the Lord’s personal invitation…Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me: for I am meek and lowly of heart – and you shall find rest for your soul, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:29 A yoke is used for uniting two oxen to draw a heavy load.. but one bullock alone soon becomes exhausted, with the weight of responsibility. But Christ clearly tells us we are not to carry burdens alone, whether they be our own aching load or the strains and liabilities of others. We have been called by the Lord to cast all our burdens on Him and we have a responsibility to listen to His voice and respond to His instructions, if we are to learn the secret of true and lasting refreshment and rest.

Secret of Rest

F.B.James puts it this way… "Jesus is the Teacher of the secret of rest. He is the Giver of the gift of rest. It is not simply to His attitude towards life that He bids us come…  not to His teaching. It is to Himself He bids us come. It is a personal invitation:- "Come unto Me". It is not so much rest FROM labour that is offered to us – it is something far better – rest IN the labour.

Refreshment from  Rest

When we are refreshed in the Lord, He will enable us to go bravely on to the end, and to surmount every difficulty, which may confront us.

Come unto me, ye weary,
And I will give you rest.
O blessed voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed.
It tells of benediction-
Of pardon, grace, and peace,
Of joy that hath no ending,
Of love that cannot cease.