29 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.
During this past year at our church on our Governing Board we were searching for the vision that God had for our little church in Waukee. He lead us to a vision of Creating Space for Self and Community to Find Rest in Christ. The verse above is one of the ones leading us this way.
I initially challenged the vision because I was looking for one that had us doing big things. This one was not clear to me the action we would take. It is very counter cultural, in the US we fill every ounce of our time with work, hobbies, kids sporting events and eventually may do the opposite of finding rest in Christ. We squeeze him out of our calendar. This past Sunday I watched as a friend of our had to leave during the middle of the service to go to a school concert for their daughter. Sunday morning at 10am--no time for rest in Christ, really? Even the public schools.
So if we are successful at Westview perhaps things will look different for our members. Maybe they will cast aside what society says is important and will find more time to be in relationship with Jesus. I don't know that that means being less busy, but maybe it is being more busy in the work he would have us do. Maybe the anxiety of society can be cast aside and a peaceful soul can be found.
knut
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
ReplyDeleteI copied the same verse as you...but added a little bit in the beginning and the end. I find it EXTREMELY comforting. You are exactly right with what you wrote. We are so busy. Sometimes the only time I find to pray is while I'm doing something else. That's really not good. If I'm honest, I use the business as a little bit of an excuse. But, that verse is fantastic. Imagine our mindset if we would really rely on him to rest in? That's probably the best New Year's resolution I've heard.
Rest in him
tp