Freely I give my praise to You, O Lord. May Your name be praised now and forever. May You be exalted above all things and may every knee bow in submission to Your will. You rescue the afflicted from their plight and You supply the needs of all of Your servants. You give life to man and keep the planets in their orbits. When I look upon Your creation, I ask myself “how can I question whether there is a God?” Everything in me confirms that there is a God and You are very real. Your Word continually assures me of Your love and aspirations You have for Your people. I have confidence that when I cry out for Your help, You hear and will be there to meet my need. In my life, the cords of death lie all around me waiting for their chance to entangle me … sin stands ready to ambush me … and trouble and sorrow circle around me looking for a chance to engulf me. I seem to always be laboring, but never reaping a harvest. Those who say they are my friends disappear when I need them. O where can I go to escape the wickedness, turmoil, strife, tension and struggles of the world?
And then I hear Your words … inviting me to come unto You, exchanging my burdens (which are heavy) for Yours (which are light). What a marvelous opportunity You given to me. You offer to take away the heaviness of sin, disappointment, fear, worry and doubt that haunt me. Instead, You are offering me a place of love, acceptance, healing and peace where I can regroup and get my bearings so that I can continue in my labors. Your invitation is one to “let go and let God.” You are offering me the means to overcome physical, mental and spiritual torment. As I draw closer to You, the effects of the wicked seem to trouble me less. As I draw closer … submitting my will to Yours and placing Your throne at the center of my life … I find real contentment. In turning to You, I feel Your presence having a calming effect on me and I feel more hopeful. In You, I find peace and I’m able to focus on what You want me to do rather than allowing the distractions of the world to get me off track. I need freedom from tension, stress and worry … and, I know that I can find it if I am willing to “come unto You.”
You encourage me to turn away from the yoke of the world and take up Yours … for it is tender and easy to bear. You have promised that, if I take it up, the love, peace and joy I receive will make my labors a lot easier. You offer me love, gentleness, concern and protection in exchange for my gift of surrender. Help me not reject Your offer … instead, accepting it for the gift that it is. I am comforted by the fact that in You my soul will find rest … each day will be filled with unspeakable joy … and, every obstacle I face will be cast aside. If I come to You with my needs, I know You have the power and the will to deal with them. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give You rest.