From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 6:12 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: September 19th Greetings

"Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you  rest."  Matthew 11:28

We have looked at the 'come' and the 'I' of our Scripture, today let us look at the 'rest'.  It is the Creator of the universe who is saying, "I will give you rest."  How awesome!  This One who died that we might live is the One who is so concerned for the weary and heavy laden that He personally will give rest.  Have we ever stopped to meditate on the loving kindness and tender mercies that lie behind this promise?  Do we partake of this promise or do we just let it slip by?

This verse in the Amplified Bible reads,
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.  [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]"

Vine's Expository Dictionary defines the 'rest' in this verse: "...to give intermission from labor, to give rest, to refresh."

Matthew 11:29 goes on to say:
"Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble
(lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls."

Jesus Himself is our example ('learn of Me').  After washing the feet of the disciples He said, "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." John 13:15.

Vine's Expository Dictionary says, "Christ's rest is not a rest from work, but in work, 'not the rest of inactivity but of the harmonious working of all faculties and affections--of will, heart, imagination, conscience-- because each has found in God the ideal sphere for its satisfaction and development.'"  This is a quote from J. Patrick, in Hastings Bible Dictionary.

To rest in Christ means trusting Him in all things -- all our relationships and all circumstances that surround our lives.

"Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
 But he who trust in the Lord, mercy shall surround him."  Psalm 32:10

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
 Which cannot be moved, but abides forever."  Psalm 125:l

"...Whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe."  Proverbs 29:25

"You will keep him in perfect peace,
 Whose mind is stayed on You,
 Because he trusts in You."  Isaiah 26:3

To rest in the Lord is to be one with Him.  So "fixing our eyes on Jesus; the author and perfector of our faith..." let us yield to Him and "find that rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls."

As the last lines of a poem by A. E. Finn says:
"Life will, indeed, a blessing bring,
 If we SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING."

All glory, honor and praise to Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen