We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; in deed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul ... if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Come unto me ... and I will give thee rest



“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give thee rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28 – 30)
When I read “all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give thee rest.” I think of those suffering from abuse and addictions.  I think of the twelve step programs for alcoholics, over eaters, sex-olics, drug-olics, gamblers, computer- olics, porn addicts and all those who are heavy laden the AA Twelve Step Program works. It is the only thing that does work for the poor soul caught in addictions. At the center of all of these programs is that they give their burdens to a Higher Power.  No matter the sin, we are helpless unless we look to God and give ourselves to him.
I am quite sure that Christ’ yoke, the steps we are ask to take – confess our sins, go to church, pray constantly, read the scriptures, pay tithe, help others – seems too much. Confessing our sins is the hardest part. After that most people wonder what took them so long to give up their heavy burdens. Once we do and enter into the rest of Christ, how wonderful and peaceful. It certainly does not mean that we will have no more temptations, no more slips, but it means we can find rest in the mist of the storm.  

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