Come

Are you weary?

Are you tired of always being tired?

Do you days last forever and the nights never seem long enough?

When, when will this ever end?

Noah was called to quite the task: build an ark, wait out a flood, and perpetuate a new, kinder humanity. God clearly called him, but God never revealed a definite timeline.

Maybe you are stuck without an end date. Maybe the thought of this never-ending saga is just too much. I bet Noah had a few days like that. When the stench of those animals confined in the boat brought tears to his eyes and aching to his heart.

When, when will this ever end?

But Jesus gave us a promise to make the wait more palatable.

“Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

Jesus calls us to come to Him when we are quite certain we can not move any more.

He invites us when we are weary.

He soothes us when we are simply done.

He promises us rest when we fear we might never fully rest again.

His words could well have been: “Come to me all who are:

tired,

burned-out,

frustrated,

frazzled,

depleted,

depressed,

despaired,

bothered,

heavy-hearted,

and giving-up.

(because) I will give your rest.”

Rest from what troubles and tortures you.

Rest from what weighs on your hear and consumes your mind.

Rest from problems never resolved.

Rest from the terribly long days and the way-too-short nights.

Rest when no end is in sight.

He invites us to take His yoke – to tie ourselves to Him and carry and share our burdens with Him. He promises, with Him, it will go easier.

He wants to teach us.

He reminds us He is good and has our best intentions in mind.

He promises we will find rest for our souls. Not only eternal rest but a sweet, soul-satisfying rest for today: the knowledge that whatever I am called to do, it is well with my soul.

Whenever I consider His words, I realize, because of the weariness, I absolutely must go to Him.