FEAR NOT, COME UNTO METhe God of Rest
S - Scripture: Matthew Chapters 10 and 11
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. But whosoever shall deny me (in speech or action) before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven ... woe unto thee ... for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes ... even Sodom would have repented ... 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. 10:26, 29, 30, 31, 33; 11:21, 23b, 11:28-30
O - Observations:
We left off in Chapter 9 with Jesus praying for laborers for the harvest and we open Chapter 10 with the statement that He had called his 12 disciples (laborers) to cast out devils and heal the sick and we are told the names of His 12 closest disciples.
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James [the son] of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
He called them and told them to 1) Go and 2) Preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is near and 3) Not to take money or provision as it should be provided to them along the way.
He spends Chapter 10 giving his diciples then (and now) instruction for how to live and preach the gospel and how to respond to the persecution that would inevitably come. Some of His opening words about fearing not for all that is hidden will be revealed is a timely message in the wake of a new leader in our country. Having watched the events of yesterday and listened to the speeches just knowing that our Leader, Yeshua, is the ultimate Commander in Chief, and nothing is hidden from Him ... nothing! He knows the end from the beginning ... all will be revealed ...
Chapter 11 then starts with a conversation between Jesus and the messengers from John the Baptist sandwiched with a message of repentance and a final bidding to come unto Him if you are weary. Which follows a wonderful encouraging word that He knows me (us) and even knows the number of the hairs on our heads ... we are worth so much to Him!!! HalleluYAH!
A - Application for me today:
In this passage ... I am convicted of all the times He has done GREAT things in my life and yet I find myself often in places of unrepentance. WOE to me! I take this word not to beat myself up with, but as a measure of medicine for a sick soul in need of His healing ... we would all be wise to remember the GREAT things He has done and search in ourselves for anything we need to lay before Him and repent of and change in our lives.
That is the first thing, the second is His closing words in Chapter 11 that are so encouraging for me today ~ to come unto Him ... those who are WEARY and heavy laden ... and find rest ...
Part of this for me is having just traveled 20 hours non-stop in a car traveling 70 mph for 1200+ miles stopping only briefly for the necessary bathroom break or food intake ... I was telling some friends how that messes with your equillibrium! For most of yesterday morning I was feeling so whoozy! My head felt like it was swimming and it took a good bit to get my "land legs" back to normal ... I felt weary for certain ... in need of a good night's rest ...
Having said that and having had a descent night's rest in my own bed and familiar surroundings, I wake up perhaps a little more physically rested, but there is still that "soul at rest" thing that Jesus referred to here ... burdens that pile up on you or you (or I) take on our own selves ... financial burdens, burdens regarding our vehicles (we had a minor fender bender on the trip), burdens for our children, our health, the health of our loved ones ...
Come to Yeshua, Yehoshua, Jesus, the Great Physician, The God Who Sees, The Great Shepherd, The Almighty God ... and find rest for your soul ...
P - Prayer in response:
Father you have indeed proved Mighty in my life (over and over and over again!). I have seen miracles for sure and yet I know that in places in my life that I experienced real repentance, I have taken back those burdens and have gone in the opposite way in my life. Father, when I read your words of encouragement this morning to come unto you and find rest my entire being breathed a deep sigh of relief. Words that could penetrate my heart and mind and were a drink for a thirsty soul. I come unto you ... The word used in this text for rest means "intermission, cessation of motion, busyness or labor" I come to you LORD for an intermission from the busyness of life. It is a respite for this weary soldier in order to recover and collect my strength - YOU are my Strength ... refresh me, quiet me ... in the root of this word we find a word meaning to "get a release from sin" ... the ultimate burden or thing leading to all the burdens we carry!! Whether it be our health and the sin of gluttony causing us the burdens we carry literally on our bodies as extra pounds or sickness or the sin of lust and greed or not trusting you or not living under your provision giving us the burden of debt or whatever the case may be ... Father you can release us and give us rest even in places where we have messed things up you can help us find a way out if we will only repent and turn from those things and ways that keep us bogged down and burdened. Let us lay down the yokes of this world and the things that so easily beset us and take up your yoke, but most importantly for me personally today I think is the message that I can come to You and find REST! Thank you Father that You are the God of REST!
B'shem Yeshua HaMasiach
In the name of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah
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