The Lightest Burden
August 18, 2013
"My soul is restless until it finds its rest in Thee," said Augustine.
Likewise the Psalmist said, "My soul finds rest in God alone."
This world is heavy. Moving through it is hard work. And work is tiring. Everything seems to take work. Eden's pain, the thorns and thistles - we know it isn't right. The imagers of the God who brought all that is into being with a word, dripping sweat. The Firstborn of All Creation, sweating blood.
And on the seventh day He rested.
He commanded His images to rest.
Every seventh day you shall rest - a Sabbath of solemn rest. And whoever doesn't shall be put to death.
I always thought that Exodus commandment a bit harsh. Now I wonder if it might not be so much a commandment as a state of affairs. "In the day you eat of the tree, you shall surely die." "Whoever does any work on the Sabbath shall be put to death." We don't go around stoning people any more than God killed Adam and Eve in the garden. Yet Adam and Eve did die, that very day and on a future day. And we who go about spurning rest die, on a future day to be sure, but also every day in between.
God did not create us for death. He did not create us for thorns and thistles, for sweat. He did not create us for heaviness. He created us for good work, and for rest. He calls us - He commands us - to rest.
He calls us to Eden's seventh day - before sin, before thorns. When there was perfect provision and the promise and possibility of good to come. There remains a Sabbath rest for His imagers who are dripping sweat.
Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. If sin is weighing on your soul, lay it aside. If you fear the work will never be done, leave it behind for a moment. If the world with its endless cares has become heavy for you, sit down a while.
While the sweat drops off your brow, gaze into the face of the perfect Image of God, Jesus Christ, and hear Him invite you: "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."
To fight against His yoke is to fight against our very own freedom. To receive His yoke is to know the soul rest that only our Creator can offer.
“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” (Psalm 62:1)
Likewise the Psalmist said, "My soul finds rest in God alone."
This world is heavy. Moving through it is hard work. And work is tiring. Everything seems to take work. Eden's pain, the thorns and thistles - we know it isn't right. The imagers of the God who brought all that is into being with a word, dripping sweat. The Firstborn of All Creation, sweating blood.
And on the seventh day He rested.
He commanded His images to rest.
Every seventh day you shall rest - a Sabbath of solemn rest. And whoever doesn't shall be put to death.
I always thought that Exodus commandment a bit harsh. Now I wonder if it might not be so much a commandment as a state of affairs. "In the day you eat of the tree, you shall surely die." "Whoever does any work on the Sabbath shall be put to death." We don't go around stoning people any more than God killed Adam and Eve in the garden. Yet Adam and Eve did die, that very day and on a future day. And we who go about spurning rest die, on a future day to be sure, but also every day in between.
God did not create us for death. He did not create us for thorns and thistles, for sweat. He did not create us for heaviness. He created us for good work, and for rest. He calls us - He commands us - to rest.
He calls us to Eden's seventh day - before sin, before thorns. When there was perfect provision and the promise and possibility of good to come. There remains a Sabbath rest for His imagers who are dripping sweat.
Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. If sin is weighing on your soul, lay it aside. If you fear the work will never be done, leave it behind for a moment. If the world with its endless cares has become heavy for you, sit down a while.
While the sweat drops off your brow, gaze into the face of the perfect Image of God, Jesus Christ, and hear Him invite you: "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."
To fight against His yoke is to fight against our very own freedom. To receive His yoke is to know the soul rest that only our Creator can offer.
“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” (Psalm 62:1)
