I'm a busy person. I do a LOT of things. But that's nothing new. I like to be busy, I like having things to do, having people to spend time with, having a to-do list. I love having a calendar, and I love for my calendar to be full. (I am not saying here that I do not like to do things spontaneously, spontaneity does strike me often, but that is another post all in itself.) Since my calendar is full, and since I have a lot of things bogging me down a good portion of my days, I search for rest. Not only a physical rest, but I search to rest in my God.
Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
I have heard these Bible verses almost my entire life. I thought I had finally grasped what it means to have an easy yoke and a light burden. However, I decided to do a little more digging into this concept of rest. Back when Matthew was writing this passage, the word "yoke" did not mean, the yellow part of an egg. It basically was a figurative link to servitude. That being said, I think that Jesus was saying not that I'm necessarily going to make things a breeze for you, but in all reality, you will be my servant, and I love you, and being a servant to me is a whole lot easier than being a slave to sin.
So I kept researching, now having a new grasp on the actual verses. I wanted to see how I can apply this concept of rest to my daily life. So I checked out the Message. (Now, I do not recommend reading the Message as a sole source of biblical knowledge, it is but a loose translation. The Message, however, is a refreshing and updated version of reading the Bible to be used in comparison to a more widely accepted translation.)
The message reads: "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."
When I first read this, I immediately answered all of the questions it asks in the affirmative. Then it gives a simple, concise set of directions. "Come to me."
How is it that these directions can be the most difficult to follow? Why do we always believe that the solutions to our problems have to long and complex? Jesus clears it all up for us, with three words: "Come to me." He promises not only that we will recover our life, but that He will show us how to take REAL REST, simply by coming to Him. I don't know about you, but I want to learn the unforced rhythms of grace. If I can live my life freely and lightly simply by keeping company with the King of the Universe, I don't really see a downfall.
We CAN achieve REAL REST. Just go to Jesus.
The main thing we have been focusing on during Cornerstone College is the matter of our stories. We have been focusing on the fact that each of us have a story, a journey that we have been traveling. Now, we have each met, and our stories are being intertwined by the grand author.
God has really been showing me how important our stories actually are. For instance, David. A boy who was only about fifteen when he killed the giant Goliath, was living out his story. Then there's Paul (originally Saul), who used to slaughter and persecute Jews and then was transformed into a man who had an enormous impact on the church and how it works today. We can even look as far back as Moses, who was a man who had an alleged speech impediment who came to lead the Israelites out of slavery. For those of us from the female gender, we have great women like Ruth, and Mary, and Sarah, who followed the will of God and lived out their own stories of greatness.
All of these people had a story. A background. But is their story any greater than ours?
Jeremiah 1:5 says that God knew us before he placed us in the womb. He knows our ways, our thoughts, our passions. He set us apart.
Therefore, God knew me before I was born, and he knew you before you were born, and he knew Jeremiah, and Jonah, and Peter, and everyone else before they were born. Our stories are unique. Hand-made. Special.
Jeremiah 29 then goes into the plans that God has for us, prosperity and hope are included in those plans. He has plans like that specially made for each one of us. Another part of our story.
Now I am at a place, being 20 and in college, where I am coming face to face with my story and how the Masterful Author is intertwining it with the people I am walking my journey with. God is shaping each and every one of our stories in accordance to His will.
Our stories are special. God is the most talented of authors.