06/11/2023
Coming to Jesus; this is my contemplation this morning. Is this the physical act of circumcision, baptism, and communion, or something far deeper and more spiritual? What does Jesus mean by these three simple words... "Come unto me."
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 KJV
Jesus calls us to Him; He isn't asking us for this or that, and He isn't laying a list of requirements on us... just one... believe in Him as the Son of God and come. Then, when we answer His call we receive rest, but not a physical rest, but rather a spiritual rest; a rest in our very souls. The depth of which is hard to understand unless it is experienced. Perhaps a close comparison would be a time in our lives when everything seemed perfect, let's picture such a time... it is a Saturday morning in spring and the sun is shining bright, we have eaten a wonderful breakfast, a breeze is blowing across us from the open windows as we lounge atop our bed, and we are at total peace... no work, no worries, all is well and at peace with us. Have you ever had such a morning? You are at total peace deep inside, and yet, not even a morning such as this compares to the rest of Christ.
As I read Oswald Chambers, he described the simplicity of coming to Jesus and beginning a life in Him in this way...
"The questions that matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by the words - "Come unto Me." Not - Do this, or don't do that ; but - "Come unto Me." If I will come to Jesus my actual life will be brought into accordance with my real desires; I will actually cease from sin, and actually find the song of the Lord begin." - Oswald Chambers
The world has taken these three wonderful words and twisted them. You have heard the saying repeated many times. It is used when someone is getting called on the carpet after doing something wrong, and the connotation is bad: "They are having a come to Jesus meeting!" to which everyone thinks "Woah; that is bad; I am glad that isn't me!" This is the darkness trying to steal the peace and rest from this scripture. When we come to Jesus there is no chewing out, there is no negative repercussion, and there is only rest. This is what happens when we actually "Come to Jesus." Let's stop using these words in a negative way because Jesus calls us to Him to free us; not to convict or punish us.
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
John 6:37 ESV
Just recall His life, and who He is. If we truly believe He came to redeem us and suffered for us despite our sin and unworthiness, then when we come to Him we will find ourselves at rest and complete in Him; not just physically but spiritually in our very souls.
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
Colossians 2:9-12 KJV
Are we ready to “come to Him” today and experience that rest which reaches every part of us?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the rest that we find in Jesus. Thank you for the invitation to come unto Him and find peace in our very souls. He stills us Father and allows us to know that you are God. He cradles us as if we rest in a soft summer breeze without a care in the world. He is our perfect day, and leads us before you without cause for alarm or fear of judgement. In Him we rest, and in Him we find ourselves at peace in you. Holy Father, we thank you for each day that we awaken to the call of Jesus... "Come unto me." We pray this morning that your peace and rest always finds us through Him, and that you be glorified in your Son. Praised be your name Father, and great is the name of your Son Jesus.
Rich Forbes