Advent Week 2

Hope For Those Who Are Weary

Sunday, December 8

An Invitation to Real Rest

The life that Jesus Christ offers us is a life that is marked BOTH by high challenge AND by high invitation into deep relationship. Christ minced no words when it came to the high challenge that he was inviting would-be students of his into: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). “Denying ourselves” is one of the greatest spiritual challenges in life, because every single day our egos creep back in and plot to push Christ off of the throne of our hearts.

And yet, alongside of that deep challenge, we also receive this invitation to walk with Christ in a deep relationship that provides us the REST that our souls and bodies crave. In The Message’s version of Matthew 11:28-30, we discover this invitation from Jesus: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Hear this Good News. The Lord of the Sabbath is offering you a gift today, and the gift is that God has given you permission to be unproductive. May we trust Christ enough during this Advent season to receive that gift, claim it for our lives, and walk fearlessly in the Lord’s rest each and everyday.

Bryan Langlands