Don't Rest Until You Receive Divine Rest

“Hi. Great to see you. How are you doing?”

What do people usually say? “Fine.” “Great.” “Blessed and doing well.” “Better than I deserve.”

Most of those responses are clichés, and usually not very authentic. What kinds of things do people say when they are speaking the truth? “Busy.” “Tired.” “Stressed.” “Drained.” “Exhausted.” “Overloaded.” “Burned out.” “Worn out.”

I can’t remember anyone saying to me, “Well rested.” 

We are a tired generation. We have a disease someone described as “hurry sickness.” Our carburetors are set on high and our gears are stuck in overdrive. Our lives are nonstop, busy. And it’s hurting us.

Consider the Chinese character for “busy. A simple Chinese character contains a lot of information. The word "busy" is made from two symbols. “Heart/mind” on left side. And “death/lost” on the right. Put it all together and you get the word “busy.” The Chinese know that when a person gets “busy”, his or her “heart” tends to become “dead” – he or she is losing their mind. The mind/heart is lost/dead.

Jesus knew all about this before the Chinese, of course. Here's what He said:

"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 (ESV)

This is a stunning, amazing, awe-inspiring, audacious invitation. If any one of us stood up and said anything like this, people would say, “He finally lost it.” No one says this kind of stuff.

But Jesus said it. We have to decide what we’re going to do with a Person who says things like this. Maybe He’s a mad-man. Maybe He’s a con-man. Or maybe He’s the God-man. You decide.

Notice what He promises for everyone – anyone – who will come to Him. “Come to Me, all you busy, stressed-out people, and I will give you rest.” Rest.

You want that? I do. So, let's go to Jesus and take His yoke. A yoke is what you put on an animal to pull a plow or a cart or a wagon. Jesus says His yoke is easy. 

Let's stop doing what everyone around us says we should do. Quit wearing the "yokes" from your mom or dad or spouse or kids. Busy is "Being Under Satan's Yoke." Or "Stuff's yoke." Or "Social Media's" yoke. Or "Sin's" yoke. Or "Someone else's" yoke. Or your own "Self" yoke. Let's check in with Jesus every day (word and prayer) and stay checked in through moment-by-moment prayer. And He'll tell us what yoke to bear.

The end result? Rest. Go to Jesus and take His yoke. And only His.

So, how are you doing? Could you honestly say, "I'm well-rested." Don't rest until you can one day honestly say that. 

Don't rest until you get His rest.