Preacher: Minister Meschack Mulenda
Amid life’s bustling chaos, there is a divine call to rest. Unlike worldly views that associate rest with external activities or achievements; rest, as depicted in the Kingdom of God, is a by-product of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Laying your burdens in Him, a rest that transcends temporal pursuit is found as you accept His solemn invitation (Matthew 11:28). True rest is a transformative journey, leading you into the heart of God’s purpose for your life.
While some relationships give a sense of peace, perfect rest is found in one with the Creator (Matthew 11:38; Genesis 2:18). A rest worth all the effort has been prepared for you. Operating in the good works God has for you, abandoning the earthly pursuits that have no eternal value, those that leave you wanting for more, makes the experience of your rest sure in Christ (Psalms 127:2).
Matthew 11:38 calls on all those who labour to gather in Christ. Jesus Christ provides; find rest in Him whether you are searching for meaning in life or battling for inner peace. The delicacies of a vacation, the charm of a quiet place or the attainment of a milestone are but a shadow of true rest; but Christ quenches the depth of the soul (John 4:14). Nothing that happens apart from Him leads to repose. In a relationship where He is the first priority, rest is assured.
Giving up on your burdens, soon, you operate in the good works that Christ prepared. In exchange for a loaded life, He gives an easier yoke, a lighter burden, providing a clear focus and orientation as the Holy Spirit leads you into the meaningful assignment of your life, the hope of your calling. Exhaustion comes when the believer operates outside the good works provided. Where countless activities demand your attention, resting in Christ grants focus, saving you from running after many things.
Only in a life lived in communion with Jesus Christ can rest and productivity coexist. As you abide in Him and Him in you, much fruit is born (John 15:5). Trust in Jesus Christ requires that the believer abandon anxiously working out every little detail of their journey. As you walk with Christ, you become. In the steadfastness of your discipleship in Him, you are transformed. You can trust His words when He says to His disciples to walk with Him and He will “make them” (Matthew 4:19).
In dealing with the early church, the apostle Paul noticed, to his astonishment, that God’s people perished due to their ignorance of the finished work of the cross, out of which flow all spiritual blessings bestowed upon those found in Christ (Ephesians 1). These are for you and me, treasures that are secure in Christ in the heavenly places.
Reality may tell you otherwise but you are blessed by God. What is visible is subject to change, but the Truth is established in the spiritual, just as the Bible teaches us that the Word, which was spiritual, was with God in the spiritual realm and became flesh in Jesus Christ, in whom Redemption came.
Reality will soon adjust to the blessed state of your spirit. God is Spirit and out of who He is, He has passed on the blessing onto you (Job 32: 8). In harmony, your spirit, soul, and body are once and for all blessed.
In conclusion, faith in Christ brings the physical in accordance with what is already established in the spiritual, translating the spiritual blessings of Ephesians 1 into the good works of your rest. Therefore, today, you are empowered in knowing the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross.
