Come Unto Me

One of my favorite passages of scripture is from the Gospel of Matthew (11:28-30). At this point in Jesus’ ministry, the crowds have gathered around him, and he turns to them and he says: 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

What an invitation! Jesus invites those who are having a hard time of it, those for whom life is difficult, those who have tried and failed, those who have fallen short, and those who are trying to deal with what no human being should have to deal with. 

Come unto me…

I think about those of you caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s or who have a child battling addiction. I think about those who have had to come to grips with the failure of a business or a marriage. I think about those times when I sat with people after the loss of a child. I have often wondered, how do people do this without faith… 

Last week I asked you why you follow Christ. I also asked my congregation. Here is some of what they wrote:

God called me to be present in the moment in one of my darkest hours… He 
heard my prayers.

Christ has been the only one in my life who loves me unconditionally – 
regardless of how dark my past has been. He knows I’m fragile and made 
from dust and prone to slip and fall, but he still loves me. And I love him 
more than anything else in the world.

God has always been there for me. He helped my brother through sickness. The 
Lord has guided me, my family through good times and bad…

Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  

May we ever accept the invitation. 

Let us pray: Compassionate Christ, we turn to you in our moments of darkness and despair, trusting that you are with us in moments of peace as well. We rest in your presence, asking for healing, mercy, and grace. We thank you, Lord for meeting us here and now. Amen.