“Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for 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.” ~ Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)

 

Note first of all that Jesus does not say that his presence is easy or light – that he does not imply that others will be saved by coming to him or by him directly.  No, quite clearly – if one reads closely enough (and if one reads the rest of his Gospel teachings; and better still if one puts those teachings radically into everyday practice) – one will see that it by coming to him and lifting his yoke; by coming to him to emulate his teachings; by coming to him to do as he in-Courages us all to do, that Salvation becomes “at hand” (see Matthew 10:7 + Matthew 24:12-14 et al) …

 

Secondly, note as well that Jesus is not actually promising typical understandings of ease or rest – but rather the deep-seated Inner Peace that comes from Joy-full self-sacrifice (see Matthew 16:28, Matthew 5:48 + Matthew 19:21, et al).  Indeed, his Way requires an embodiment of infantile humility (Matthew 18:3-4), a humility which requires detaching from — and indeed sacrificing — everything comfortable and pleasurable in order to attain true Rest (not rest for the body, but Peace for the Soul) and true Ease (not ease for one’s actions or lifestyle, but Calm & Joy while performing them) …

 

Thirdly, note as well that Jesus makes it openly clear that he is “humble in heart” – meaning that he cannot be referring only to himself whenever he speaks of the “Son of Man” (see Matthew 16:24) or the “Son of God” (see John 14:12), but rather that he is speaking of those qualities of consciousness & free will & Divinity that reside fully in all of us – qualities that can be re-enlivened by following his Way (see John 13:15-17 & Matthew 7:21-14 et al).

 

Amen … Let it be so.

 

Filed under: My Favorite Verses by Scaughdt