A PRAYER FOR THE WEARY

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  

Matthew 11:28  

I am tired and worn out.  I am physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.  I shouldn’t fear, for God is with me.  Jesus says that if I come to Him with my burdens in my worn-out condition, He will give me rest.  

When I look at this passage, it appears simple enough.  

“Come” is a word I use to train my children.  I might say, “if you have a problem, come to Dad or Mom.  Actually, Jesus is stating the urgency of coming, such as “Please come right now!”  He also uses the preposition “unto Me” so that his audience knows that it is okay to approach Him directly.  Many people fear approaching God, but Jesus says that it’s okay, He wants me to come to Him.  

Jesus then addresses his audience, “all you who labor and are heavy laden.”  

These are two different conditions, but not necessarily two different groups of people.  “All you who labor” refers to the wearisome toil one goes through on a daily basis to earn a living and to meet the demands of others.  Those who are “heavy laden” refers to those who are carrying a load, which is perhaps placed there by someone else.    

Listing both groups implies that someone else may be responsible for my burdens, but I am the one that has ended up carrying them.  I think of the weariness I feel trying to please someone else, coupled with the burdens that they may have thrust upon my back.  I think that I am surrounded by people who are continually doing this to me.  I would really like to get out!  Sometimes it seems like I might be ready to quit or give up, but I know that’s not the answer.  No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to move, so I just continue to muddle through day after day.  

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS:  This is what Jesus was stating.  In fact, He knows that I am carrying a burden that He doesn’t want me to carry.  This burden is sin, and no matter how much I try, I just can’t release the downward spiral of sin.  

Jesus then makes a promise.  If I come unto Him, He will give me rest.  This phrase reflects refreshment, or a time when I can just relax while he unloads my burdens from my back.  How does He do that?  

Lord, I know You can do that because You have already carried my burden.  You have already made the sacrifice.  I sometimes carry burdens that I shouldn’t.  I need to run to You with my situation, so You can give me rest.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.