An Invite

Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough. He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.  His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me the right path and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honour to his name.

Psalm 23:1-3 (TPT)

Life sometimes can be overwhelming. The weight of responsibilities, expectations, and daily challenges can sometimes feel like too much to bear.

This is the case of Sola; a multi-talented guy who works in a bank and serves as a protocol officer in his church. He has an additional side job, volunteering with an organisation that is involved in providing mentorship for young adults. He is married with two children.

On this faithful day, he was tired of so many deadlines and expectations, and it felt like he was getting to a breaking point with really nothing else to give. He had begun to doubt himself and his capacity and started to wish that Jesus would come that same day and take him home, leaving behind this trouble-filled world.

Sometimes, we find ourselves in his shoes, overwhelmed, tired and sometimes wishing for another life or someone else to help us carry our burden.

Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good–not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Matthew 11:28-30 (AMPC)

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gives an invitation laced with humility. This invite is specifically for those who are weary, overwhelmed and those who feel they are carrying burdens and heavy loads. It shows the readiness of Jesus to take over those burdens and refresh the weary soul — a promise of rest.

Sometimes, we attribute rest to doing less, but true rest (in a sense) is still doing, but from a state of ease, relief and knowing exactly what to do in different situations of life.

You might be in a season where taking weeks for a retreat might be impossible but you can find time daily to rest in God. This leads to the second part of the invitation Jesus gives, which is to come and learn from Him.

This means to come and spend quality time with Him and He will show you how to take a rest. In essence, He will show you what you need to do in each situation of life.

David is a perfect example of someone who constantly sought God’s counsel in every situation. He would ask, ”should I go or should I pursue?” and he would patiently wait to hear what God had to say, and he obeyed His instructions.

Beloved, God is more than ready to be a part of all aspects of our lives. He wants to lead us through the Holy Spirit. He wants to restore our souls and keep us refreshed. 

If the Spirit is the source of our life, we must also allow the Spirit to direct every aspect of our lives.

Galatians 5:25 (TPT)

The way to keep our heads ‘above the waters’ is to spend time with Jesus in fellowship, to draw from Him the benefits He has provided for each day.

As Martin Luther, the great reformer, once said, “I have so much business, I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer”. And while the allotted time he spent in prayer is not exactly statutory, we must have a routine of fellowshipping with God daily.

This is how our strength is renewed, this is where we received the strategy and the wisdom to live each day.