Getting some rest . . .

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:26

I do not feel well at all today.  In fact I feel a little under the weather and exhausted.  I have been running to and fro, working to get a lot done.  And with all that I have done, it seems like I have done very little.  I need rest.

I read this statement and found myself thinking of all that Jesus requires of me to come to him.  I thought of all that he required of others.  I thought of all that was necessary to get done to be in His presence.  I thought of all that He required for me to receive His love. 

I thought of all the persons who received from him.  You know, all those who were healed and what He required them to do before healing them.  I thought of the persons who He specifically forgave . . . the woman caught in the very act of sex outside of marriage (adultery).  I thought of the tax collector and what that sinful and hated of all men (for in his days tax collectors were notorious for being thieves, and the Jews hated them) had to do before Jesus would come under his roof and dine.  I thought of the requirements He, Jesus put for children to come to him.  Indeed, I started to make a list.  It didn’t take me as long as I thought it would.  Here’s my list:

Nothing.

Jesus does not require anything of us to come to Him, to receive His love.  He doesn’t require me to stop screwing people, stealing, lieing, cheating or beating the crap out of others before coming to Him.  Indeed He says to come as we are.  He promises that He will give us rest.  It’s His job not mine.  I just need to come.

I don’t know if you are old enough to remember the song sung at every Billy Graham evangelistic service, at the end when people were offered the opportunity to come forward and make public their decision to accept the love that God has for them through His son, Jesus.  I shall never forget it:

“Just as I am, Without one plea.  But that thy blood, was shed for me.  And that thou bid’s me come to thee, Oh Lamb of God, I come; I come.”

Without an excuse, a justification for my wrongs, my life just as it is I come.  I come knowing that His blood, Jesus’s blood was spilled for me on the cross.  I come knowing that it is His love, that sacrificial love that calls me to come to Him.  That He is the one that paid the price for my wrongs, my sins.  That He became the Lamb which was slaughtered for me.  Yes, I come.  Just as I am I come.

And just as I am, I find rest.

Aaaahhh . . . .

Got Word?

Love yah,