I am so ....

What came to your mind when you first read that title?

I am so ....

Happy?

Rested?

Peaceful?

I'm guessing not.  Did the word that came to mind happen to start with a B and end with a Y?

Can we be honest?  This is where many of us live most of the time.  And my life is no different from yours.  Life is just, well, BUSY.

But I've come to think of BUSY as the quintessential four-letter word.

But, here's the deal.  I just don't see Jesus as busy.  He had plenty to do, much more than you or I have to do.  He literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he carried it with grace, with perspective, and without fanfare.

And, get this.  He doesn't just stick to his own stuff or bear his own burden, he offers to carry ours too.  Listen to this.

"Come to me, all who are weary and are heavy laden, 

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you , and learn from me, 

for I am gentle and lowly in hearts,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me, all who are weary and are heavy laden.

Are you worn out, exhausted, even weary with grief?  Burdened with pain, with shame, with the demands of life?  Jesus offers rest.

He says "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me."

He knows what he's doing, where he's going, and how he's going to get there.  If we will harness ourselves with him, he can lead us.  He says "Join with me and I'll teach you to walk."

• I'll teach you to release your perfectionism and become the mother I created you to be.

• I'll teach you to tear down your walls and become the wife you long to be.

• I'll teach you to love your neighbors, and even your enemies.

• I'll teach you to grieve the sadness in this old world, but with a hope that will not disappoint.

• I'll teach you to open your fist and forgive the one who hurt you so long ago.

• I'll teach you to trust me with your addiction and get the help that you need.   

He offers us rest.  He offers to teach us. And he's gentle, so gentle.  He won't presume upon you with arrogance, but comes alongside you in perfect strength, serving you...serving you.

When you yoke yourself with Jesus, he'll teach you how to walk out your faith and you'll find rest.  Sweet rest, sabbath rest.  Not a lazy, idle rest, but rather a deep, soul rest.  Doesn't that sound good?

Everything in this world and in our flesh shouts against this rest.  There is always so much to do.  There is always so much to bear.  No one randomly rests in Jesus.  We have to intentionally choose to:

• yoke ourselves with Jesus, 
• learn from Jesus, 
• and receive rest in Jesus.  

Will you make this intentional choice?  You may need to press the *pause* button on your day and choose to take a breather with Jesus.  Open up  your Bible and sit with Jesus.  Pray and tell him that you are so tired of the busyness, so weary of the striving, and you don't want to do this life your way anymore.  You want to do it his way.  Tell him that you want to join with him and learn from him and find rest in him.  And then breathe some more, and maybe take a nap, if you can.  The dishes will wait.