From the Foundation of the World

“Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

This is Jesus speaking to all. It wasn’t just for those who followed Him or those of His time, but those who were not even born yet. How do we know this? Listen to His prayer. “And I do not pray for these alone, but for those also who shall believe on Me through their word,” (John 17:20) The Messiah was not only for the Jews, but for all in the world. We often quote John 3:16 without realizing that it was Jesus who said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) God’s heart and desire is for the whole of mankind to know Him as Father, Jesus as Savior and Lord and the Holy Spirit as God in them. Isaiah prophesied, “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22) From the beginning, God desired for all mankind to turn to Him. But mankind loves darkness more than God. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3:19-20)

Jesus invites all who labor and are heavy laden to go to Him. How often when we need Jesus and someone tells us to go to the Lord, it feels as if those are just words. But they are the best words we can hear in hard times. It’s the best advice and the best thing we can hear. In the Greek in which it was written, the original word for labor was a word which meant to feel fatigue and to be wearied. And the word that was used in Greek for heavy laden means to be overburdened or have spiritual anxiety. So, Jesus was literally saying, “Come to me all who feel fatigue and wearied and are overburdened and have spiritual anxiety.” This world is full of trouble and is hard on the soul (mind, will, emotions.) Jesus said, “I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (John16:33) We need the Lord. We need Him to take our cares, worries, burdens and weariness that this world loads on us.  

There is a rest in Jesus. He is the calm in the eye of the storm. It’s a supernatural peace that Jesus gives. It’s a peace like no other. It cannot be found in anything of this world. And no one has that peace, only those who get it from Jesus. “Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) When we are in His Right Hand of love and protection, we are safe. Jesus tells us, “Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30) Right away, and don’t deny it, we focus on the words “yoke” and “burden.” Our fearful minds race with thoughts like “What kind of yoke and burden will the Lord put on me?” One lady I witnessed to didn’t want to receive the Lord because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to do what Jesus wanted of her. Those thoughts are of the devil. He doesn’t want us to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior because we become his enemy and do works for the kingdom of God. Once we receive Jesus, he has no power over our lives. And in fact, we get power over all the works of the devil. (Luke 10:19)

At the end of it all, there is a reward. He gives us peace and rest in this troubled world. And at the end there is another rest and a punishment for those who troubled us. “For this is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer, since it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you, and to give rest with us to you who are troubled, at the revealing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power,” (2Thessalonians 1:5-7) The writer of Hebrews wrote, “So then there remains a rest to the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9) So it’s a double rest. Rest in this troubled world. And rest in the hereafter. Let’s not refuse to go to that rest in Jesus to which He has invited us and which many have rejected. The Hebrew writer warned, “Therefore, a promise being left to enter into His rest, let us fear lest any of you should seem to come short of it. For also we have had the gospel preached, as well as them. But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter into the rest, as He said, "I have sworn in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest;" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrew 4:1-3) From the foundation of the world, the Lord prepared that rest for us. Incredible how great the Lord is that He knew us of today back when He created the earth.

In summary, in this world, we will only find rest and peace in Jesus. He invites us into this rest which has its reward in the now when we need it and in eternity forever with Him.

Let us pray:

Father God, how great and good You are to me. You not only take me as I am, broken, weak and miserable, but You cleanse me with Your righteousness and glory. Thank You for the peace and rest that You give me to live in this world and the promise of being in You and in Your glory for eternity. No matter the troubles and storms that rage around me, in You I am calm. I don’t have to worry about the outcome because whatever happens is the best for me. I have that assurance in Your Word, in Your Name and by the Holy Spirit Who lives in me. I ask You Lord, to lead me in Your righteousness that You may be glorified, exalted and worshipped. Help me to live a life that points to You and to Your Goodness. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.