Spending Time (Matt. 11:28-30)

A week late, here is my devotion for our church's devotional series, for the first Sunday of January/last Sunday of Christmastide.

Spending Time
Matt 11:28-30


“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, 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” (Matt. 11:28-30).

This would be a wonderful verse to memorize, or to keep handy on your phone or on a piece of paper.

And yet I have trouble thinking how best to put this teaching into practice. A simplistic response would be, “Well, we should spend more time with Jesus.” But that word “should” introduces a joyless quality into Christian faith, turning it into a list of dos and don’ts--which is the very thing Jesus criticizes in the religious teachers of his time. Some of the most fervent Christians I’ve known were also the biggest scolds.

A clue to these verses comes in the passages before and after. In Matt. 11:2-27, we learn that so many people didn’t “get” Jesus: John the Baptist, Jesus’ generation, and the cities of Galilee. Those who did “get” Jesus, though, were those who know their need for God and who receive Jesus’ message humbly. It’s still true. To these, Jesus assures that he is gentle and loving. Rather than giving these folks more reasons to feel inadequate, he offers his help and his acceptance (11:28-30).

The yoke is a harsh image—a way that domestic animals are led through the fields. I remember a horse collar that my grandparents used in earlier times. It was padded, to be more comfortable for the horse. I prefer the image of Jesus guiding me by the hand or holding me around the shoulder, but the idea is the same. Jesus’ guidance is something very precious, and he guides us with compassion and understanding

Importantly, this passage is followed by Jesus’ teachings about the Sabbath. As modern Judaism teaches, too, human need takes precedence over religious observance. God rested on the Seventh Day so that people—and even animals—could have a happy day of recuperation and blessing. There is no “to do” list on the Sabbath, other than spending time with family and with God!

That brings us to the theme of this sermon series: The Time of Our Lives. Our lives are limited by time, and we spend a great deal of energy trying to fill our time. But then we end up tired and feeling that we have fallen short. I’m very guilty of this.

My own solution is to try to approach spirituality with a sense of enjoyment and spontaneity. If a particular way of serving the Lord isn’t rewarding, for whatever reason, try something else! Not everything in discipleship will be stress-free, but certain things will give you a sense of satisfaction in spite of the stress. Remember that Jesus wants you to have “rest in your soul.”

During this new year, brainstorm some ways that you’d like to learn from Jesus that gives you a new sense of peace, blessing, and relief!