"I Will Give You Rest"

Through Jesus's death (& resurrection), we gain life. The words of Jesus tell us this in John 11:25-26, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die" (John 11:25-26). In John 12:25 we are instructed, “anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life”. Upside-down principles: Death equals life. Loss equals gain.

As counterintuitive as it seems, we are commanded to surrender our will and our ways. “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). When taken as a stand-alone directive, surrendering can feel like a “absolutely not”. However, when we view this instruction through the lens of the person of Jesus and what we know to be true of him, it becomes life-giving.

Jesus encourages us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

As a medical provider, I am a “germaphobe”. I know too much where germs are concerned. As you can imagine, my family loves it (not at all). Here is what the medical provider germaphobe sees when I look at Jesus. I see someone who is moving towards the hurt. Who is stepping into the contamination. Who is not afraid to catch the germ. He values others over his own comfort. He is not turned off by the “disfigured” or by “deformities”. Lesions and ulcers are his jam. Our “ugly” does not faze him. I don’t even think he sees it. In fact, 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” As believers, our “ugly” has been covered by his righteousness. 1 John 1:5 tells us, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all”. We cannot out sin his light. Romans 5:20 says it this way, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more”.

Luke was a medical provider too. In his gospel, he made sure to mention each time he saw Jesus move in (4:39), reach out (5:13), lean in (7:14), take by the hand (8:54), accept another’s touch (7:38) or lays hands (4:40). Luke vividly describing this Jesus who is telling us to die to ourselves. His gospel highlights the beauty of what Jesus is offering in return, himself.

“Come to me” Jesus says. “Learn from me” because with me “you will find rest”. Jesus is the invitation. He is the refreshment. He is the solution. He is “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrew 12:2). In his book, Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortlund explains, Jesus considered death on the cross worth every sacrifice for “the joy of seeing his people forgiven” (pg. 39).

Rest is not be found in a better house, a bigger bank account, finishing school, your kids leaving home, having a baby or getting married. Rest is not found in material things or ideal circumstances. Rest is found in who has you.