Verse of the Day 7/31

Verse of the Day 7/31

 

Matthew 11:29-30 (AMP) Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.  30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

 

I recently read Arthur Pink's "The Beatitudes" which begins with Matthew 5:3 (ESV)  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  Pink writes, "the one who is poor in spirit is nothing in his own eyes, and feels that his proper place is in the dust before God.  He may, through false teaching or worldliness, leave that place, but God knows how to bring him back.  And in His faithfulness and love He will do so, for the place of humble self abasement before God is the place of blessing for His children."

 

Today's verses reveal how we are to cultivate that God honoring spirit.  Take His yoke, in humility, learn from Him as you depend on Him.  Not many people would want to but put in a yoke, a harness.  They think that coming to Jesus would be too restrictive.  But the yoke that Christ has for us is one that has been custom fitted for us.  It won't chaff or irritate as long as we move along at His direction.  We won't even notice that it is there.

 

Are you in need of rest, as the Amplified Bible describes as "relief and ease and refreshment, recreation and blessed quietness"?   Are you willing to take on His yoke in order to obtain these, this yoke that is "not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious and pleasant"?

 

Sometimes, perhaps alll too often,  its the trials of life that God uses to bring us back, to realize our need to come to Him.  Wherever you find yourself today, won't you "come to Him"?

 

Blessed quietness, holy quietness,
Blest assurance in my soul!
On the stormy sea, He speaks peace to me,
And the billows cease to roll.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Matthew 11:28-30 New Living Translation (NLT)
28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."