Day 1 – The common weight
“Come to me, all who labor 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 heart, 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 burdened…“
I imagine Jesus pausing here with a knowing look on his face that says, “Let’s see, who might that be? Anyone? Anyone?”
And then, from the crowd, one furtive hand goes up, then another, and another until every hand is raised – including mine and yours.
The truth is, we are all burdened in some form or fashion. Maybe it’s crushing, or maybe it’s just uncomfortable and annoying. Perhaps it’s constant, or maybe it’s passing. Maybe you’re aware of it all the time, or possibly you’ve gotten used to it over time.
We are all burdened, so this invitation to come is universal. The invitation is for every human being, and it comes from the generous and compassionate heart of God.
Inward: Father, what do you want me to know about my burdens?
Burdens, being heavy-laden, are a reality for all of us thanks to the Fall.
So what do we do with them? Will they ever go away?
“Come to me,” says Jesus. Why? “Because I will give you rest. I’ll exchange my yolk, my burden for yours. And my burden is light.”
Sounds like a no-brainer, right?
So what keeps me from coming to you? (write down a couple of thoughts)
Outward: Father, what do you want me to do?
This week, we’re going to look at and think about the burdens that we tend to carry and to learn from those who have gone before us in scripture. – another way to rewrite this: This week, we’ll reflect on the burdens we tend to carry and learn from those who have gone before us in Scripture.
Father, help me to be honest and open with you this week about the burdens I am carrying.
