The Savior's Call

I have many favorite passages of Scripture to which I repose my heart regularly. These Scriptures are like trusted, faithful fountains of living water from which I enjoy drinking cool and refreshing truths to renew my soul. One of these passages is Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto Me (Jesus), all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." This is the sweetest invitation I have ever received, and it comes from the Love of my soul - the Lord Jesus Christ. Even now reading this call from Jesus causes my soul to leap with joy within me. He needs only to whisper this alluring word, and I run into His arms with all the trust of a little child believing, trusting, yielding, and rejoicing.

Note the DIRECTION of His call. He calls us not to a philosophy or to an ethical system. But He calls us unto Himself. He will not entrust His darling children into the keeping of an angel, no, He will care for us Himself. He has given Himself to us, and He has saved us for Himself. He has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." He has said, "I will watch over you and care for you with the grace of My heart, and no one will take you from my hand." His call to us is always to come to Him.

See also the OBJECTS of His call. He calls those of us who are weary and heavy-laden. Surely this is specifically addressed to those in sin who need a Savior. But it also addresses the Father's little ones who hurt and struggle all through their earthly sojourn. Every pain, every need, every struggle, every weakness is a cause to fling ourselves into the mighty, majestic arms of our darling Jesus.

Again, give attention to the INSTRUCTION of His call. He calls us to take His yoke upon us and to learn from Him. This is the most basic definition of Christian discipleship I have ever read in Scripture. Be yoked to Jesus; you belong to Him. Learn from Him, walk with Him, follow Him, obey Him, share your heart with Him, and listen to Him. This is Christian discipleship - one cannot fathom life separate from Jesus! It is all about HIM!

And finally, please see the PROMISE associated with His call. I can hardly imagine a more precious promise than is given and guaranteed to us by the Lord Jesus in this passage. He says, "I will give you rest...You will find rest for your souls." He says again, "I am gentle and humble in heart...My yoke is easy and My burden is light..." Jesus is no hard taskmaster for His own. Jesus is the kindest, most wonderful Boss one could ever have. There is no more tender heart for us than His. There is no ear more ready to listen to our cries than His ears. There is no hand more prepared to strengthen, support, and deliver than His powerful hands. And best of all, we will have rest in Him. This is rest from the condemnation of the law, the wrath and judgment of God, the shame and sorrow because of our sin, and rest from worry and anxiety of life. We are forgiven, cleansed, renewed, protected, cared for and linked to God's love and family. Jesus is our Savior, the Spirit our life, God our Father, the Bible our guide, grace our strength, and our home is heaven. We rest in the blessings of the gospel, we rest in His providence as we run the race He sets before us, and one day we will rest eternally in His love, glory, and grace. Hallelujah!