“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28(NRSV)

Thought:

The offers are coming out from everywhere. They are on TV, the radio, e-mail and dare we forget, over the phone. They promise you the "right thing", "the perfect gift" or the "must-have" for the Christmas season. But as we find out, usually something follows later that is bigger, better and newer. They have bigger and better deals on cars each year, every other month for that matter. I remember when the Sony Playstation was all the rage, but for that matter, I also remember the Commodore 64. Do you remember the Atari 2600? As there is change, there will always be something that is better. Yet, there is one offer that I don't know if it can be any better. And like these deals of the past, it is there before you, before me, and it is up to us as to whether we accept it or not. It is the offer from Christ. He says "Come, I will give you rest."

Hear the Good News, in a world where we find ourselves being loaded down with personal issues, family issues, work related issues, made even more complicated by national and international issues, before we know it, we are overloaded. With all of the can't-do-this and mustn't-do-thats driving us and stopping us simultaneously it's a wonder we haven't totally crashed. Or, have we?

This isn't a new concept. People have been depressed, looked for ways out, looked for ways in, run from trouble and run to trouble throughout time. We feel like we are in life alone. Sure, there are people in our life, but we are unique, our situation is different, special. No one knows what we are going thought like we do. There is no one to turn to. There are shrinks, counselors, mentors, people like us, but they are not us. In addition, we have anxieties, we have fears. Life is filled with temptation and responsibility. We struggle with who we are are and who we are supposed to be. Our burden IS heavy.

But you know what? Jesus invites us to come when and even because our burden IS heavy. He brings rest. He offers rest because our burden IS heavy. Further, as we come to Him for rest, He will replace our yoke with His. Remember, ours is the one with the anxiety, fear, depression, temptation, the one with the unbearable pressure and weight. His, if we read what He says, is easy and light. More than that, it is consistent. Now don't misunderstand what He says, there is work, there is weight. It is His yoke, His burden that we carry, He takes our yoke, He took ours, at the cross and it is ours to pass to Him as we come into relationship with Him. Think about this today, this week. When Pong came out, it was amazing. Today, while it is vintage, it is not all it was. It, essentially, was a limited time offer. The offer we have from Christ while vintage, is still all it is, and unlimited promise, for you and for me. Give Him your burdens, take up His and live.

Prayer: