Rest

 Rest

May 30, 2025

Matthew 11:28-29

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentleand humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

Mark 6:31-32

31 And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.

Yesterday we took a tongue in cheek look at vacations. But today let us look more seriously at rest. Even when you are doing the Lord’s work, the pressure and stress of constant activity can get to you. Even Jesus and His disciples needed to get away for awhile to rest from their labors. In Mark it ways that so many people were crowding around them, seeking to hear Jesus’ teaching and receive healing, that they were exhausted. The went away on a boat to get away from it all and rest awhile. So there is a Biblical example for taking a vacation, taking a break from all the activity and just resting.

The passage in Matthew is a bit more spiritual. There Jesus is teaching about resting from sin. The evil and sin around you can weight on your soul, but when you come to Jesus and He forgives you, you can rest easy. Your soul feels lighter when relieved of the weight of sin and shame. So another important aspect of resting in the Lord is to take His yoke upon you, Listen to His guidance, enter into the gentle and humble ways of His heart and you will find rest for your souls.