A Call to the Weary / Matthew 11:28-30

Several years ago the World Health Organization labeled sleep deprivation as “an epidemic” in the developed world. They estimate that 2/3 of the developed world is chronically sleep deprived.

The effects: routinely sleeping less than 7 hours a night demolishes your immune system, more than doubling your risk of cancer, exponentially increasing your risk of Alzheimer’s, and causes your coronary arteries to either become blocked or brittle, setting you up for congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease, or stroke.

Not good.

And that is just the problem of not getting enough physical rest.

What about soul rest? Emotional rest? Mental rest?

Last week we heard God’s call in Isaiah 55 to come to Him all who are thirsty.

Come and enter into His celebration.

This week we hear Jesus’ call to all who are weary.

Come and enter into His rest.

If you need rest, tune in.

I love how Eugene Peterson paraphrases Matthew 11:28-30 in The Message: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”