rest

 In 1930, something very unusual happened.  It's still an open case in the FBI missing-person file.  On August 15th of that year, after dining with his family, a New York State Supreme Court Justice named Joseph Carter hailed a cab and was never seen or heard from again.  The FBI thought his disappearance might be worked-related because the judge had heard a lot of mob cases.  But there was no real evidence to support that theory.  All the investigations led to a dead end.  The only clue was a note Joseph Carter left for his wife and family.  It said:  "I am very, very tired.  Love, Joe."  That was it.  That was the last anyone ever heard from him.

I can't help but feel that there's a lot of us who feel the same way.  And Jesus has something to say to the person who is exhausted, to the person who is worn out, frustrated and weary.  He offers rest.

"Come to me, all you 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." (Matthew 11:28-29)

We are looking forward to the rest that awaits us in heaven.  But I don't think Jesus is talking about heaven here in Matthew 11.  I think he's offering rest for our souls here and now.  Somebody to help carry our burden.  In Galatians 6:2, Paul says to "Bear one another's burdens" and we can do that for one another.  There have been some times in my life when I've gone through some things that I just don't think I could have handled if I didn't have brothers and sisters in Christ to be there for me.  But what we do for one another in a small way, Christ does for us to a much greater measure.

Whatever burden you are carrying right now, Christ says he'll be there for you.  Whether it's problems in your marriage, or maybe your children are in trouble at school or with the law.  Maybe it's burdens of loneliness, burdens of taking care of sick relatives, burdens of disappointment, of rejection, of addictions. Maybe the burden of not knowing which way to turn next.  Life is filled with stress, with cares, with worries.

The reality is that life can be very difficult. But these are the very kinds of burdens that Jesus wants us to bring to him.  Jesus is saying, "Come to me all you who are struggling with life in any way and those of you who have burdens that you can't carry alone, and I will help you with your struggles."

Do you remember the last time you made a trip to the airport with all your luggage?  A number of years ago, we took our daughter to the airport.  She had absolutely crammed her suitcases as full as she could get them because she was moving to Germany.  One of them weighed 65 pounds and the other one weighed 83 pounds.  Fortunately they had the little wheels on them, because I can't imagine what it would have been like if we had to lug those things all over the airport trying to find the right ticket counter.  And, I want to tell you, when the ticket agent took those suitcases from us and we didn't have to carry them around anymore, that was a wonderful feeling.  No more burden.

That's what Jesus does for us.  Jesus is always on the lookout for hurting people.  People who are bold enough to admit -- "Lord, I need some help. I can't carry these problems alone."  And he's promised to do it.  He said, "I will give you rest."

-alan smith