It's Not For Everyone

If you think about it, this invitation by Jesus isn't for everyone. I'm not saying that He wouldn't receive all who wanted to come nor am I saying that His sacrifice was in any way limited. What I'm saying is Jesus is calling those who are tired. Those who feel weighed down. Those who are dissatisfied. Those who don't like the way things are.

If you've never gone through a hard time, if you haven't known disappointment, if you haven't experienced loss, Jesus' invitation won't be very attractive. If you enjoy war and suffering and hunger and illness and all the things that surround us in this world, you're probably not interested in the rest that Jesus offers. If you haven't felt the burden of guilt, the soul-wrenching weight of remorse, then a light yoke probably doesn't sound very good. You may find it hard to appreciate what Jesus has to offer.

But the vast majority of us know what it is to be weary. Tired to the bone. We know what it feels like to be burdened, be it the burden of worry, the burden of sin, the burden of illness. What we long for is rest. Rest for our souls. Even though it is a yoke that Jesus offers, it is a light one. And we're ready. We're willing. Show us where to sign.

To us, Jesus says simply: Come. He'll lay His yoke on us, He'll teach us, and He'll do it in a gentle, humble way. Come, He says. Lay your burdens down. Come. Find rest and peace. Find forgiveness and grace. Learn what it is to serve a gentle Master, one whose goal is to ease our burdens and rest our souls.

No, the invitation isn't for everyone. But I know it's for me. And it just might be for you. If you'd like to know more, write me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog at www.hopeforlife.org/blog.