Bring your weariness to Christ!

Word from the Center
Written By Dr. Gregory Seltz

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s verses are Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus says,

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

There’s an emotional “heaviness” in our country today, isn’t there? You can feel it. You can sense it. It seems that everything is a crisis. Politicians who claim to be the “solution” often do so by playing on our fears rather than inspiring us to action. The country has been shaken to its foundations by years of protests and violence leaving many to ask, “What can hold now?” “Does anything hold now?” If those are your questions today, the answer for you and for me can’t be any more clear than Jesus’ invitation to come to Him, period. Incredibly, He extends that offer to “all you who are weary and burdened.” It’s not simply that Jesus “has” the answers. He Himself IS the answer! He is the fulfillment of God’s promise made in Genesis 3 to rescue all people from the sin and rebellion that we ourselves have unleashed in our lives and in our world. God’s rescue is always just in time for people like us who always seem to be out of time or overrun by the times in which we live.

Our world today seems bent on accusation, have you noticed that? We know deep down that accusations have a place in our lives because all of our lives are broken and bent, and in need of real change. But these cultural accusers don’t seem right either. Have you ever noticed that the “cultural accusers” always proffer a “cultural, governmental” solution to these deep, deep problems, even though it was those “solutions” that tended to created or exacerbate the problems even more? The Bible starts, rather, with each of us before God. We need to realize that it is God’s Law which justly accuses us. God’s Law truly holds us personally accountable. In Romans 7 St. Paul reminds us that God’s Law is spiritual; it is holy (7:12, 14). It is we who are unspiritual and unholy because of our sin. God’s holy accusation can drive us to despair, but its main goal is to drive us to Christ. Its purpose is to cause us to repentant of our sin, yes, but it does so in order that we would put our complete trust in Christ. He not only redeemed us, but can also give us rest for our souls in the midst of all the unrest in this broken, sinful world. That’s why the accusing culture of today isn’t good for us or for any others either. Unfortunately, today’s culture often accuses even God’s Law and, instead of letting God’s Law have its rightful say which ultimately points people to Christ, their accusations fuel fallen humanity’s ego-induced demands for change on our terms alone. More problems indeed!

There’s nothing like being constantly accused with no hope for redemption and that’s where many are at in our country today. We have created an “educated” class which believes that accusation and destruction are the way to move things forward. Whatever your politics, realize that legalistic solutions that strive for utopia on our terms produce nothing but enduring despair. Satan is behind these kinds of accusations. He is a different kind of accuser. He accuses in order to drive us to despair but not repentance, to drive us away from Christ and away from one another. I share this because of what I see happening in Washington D.C., but, more importantly, because of what I know should be happening in our lives. Right now, no matter what is going on all around us, godly accusation is meant to drive us ALL to Jesus who reconciles us to God and to each other. Godly accusation may sting, but it does so to cause us to look away from ourselves, and to look to Jesus Christ alone for the things that matter. In Him, we find mercy which overcomes righteous accusation and a humility that gives us rest amidst the struggles of the day.

If you are weary today, come home to Jesus Christ alone. Don’t put your ultimate hope in politics or policy. Make sure that God’s Law is the word accusing you, not the self-righteousness of the secular-puritan mob. Then bring your sins to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. Root your ultimate trust, your faith, in Him, not in yourself or any others. Watch Him take on whatever is set against us so that we might be victorious IN HIM for others. Then bring your weariness, as well as your prayers and concerns, to Jesus because He holds them and you in His loving and powerful hands!

PRAYER – Dear Lord Jesus Christ, let the joy of being redeemed by You give us real rest to overcome our weariness. Empower us even now to live lives of grace in You for others. AMEN.

See Also
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Jack Phillips
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October Bulletin Blurbs

The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

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October Bulletin Insert

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

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Dr. Gregory Seltz
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