“My Burdens Are Light”
[Jesus speaking] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Linda J. writes:
I’d like to share about a dream I had in which God used the verse Matthew 11:28 to comfort me. In a dream I was walking in the desert alone, and then a child drew near and started walking with me. He never spoke. We walked for days, it seemed, and I was talking with the Lord, telling him how sorrows had taken hold of my heart. I told the Lord I was tired and weary and didn’t want to go on.
The child looked up at me and said, “I`m so tired. I don`t think I can go on. Will you carry me?”
Without hesitation, though I was tired, I reached down and picked him up. To my amazement he was light as the air, our eyes met, love radiated from his little eyes and he vanished out of sight. My sorrow and grief vanished with him.
At that moment, he spoke to my heart the scripture, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).
I have leaned upon this scripture all my life, in every situation in life. For my burdens are light, like my little Lord.
Please note that the views expressed in this story are not necessarily the views of the American Bible Society. Story posted on October 19th, 2007 and filed under Your Stories, Life Verse.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Linda, what a powerful dream! I was touched by it, as I often feel tired and weary. I was especially touched by the part when you picked up the little boy (your little Lord) and he was light as air and looked at you with love. I felt my burden lift a bit as I read.
Thanks, Linda, for that gift, thanks for sharing.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:17 am
I must confess, I’ve always been somewhat taken aback by Matthew 11:28-30 because it appears in the same Gospel as the Sermon on the Mount, which describes an ethic that seems anything but “easy” and “light.” It’s not so much that I question the sincerity of Jesus’ words in 11:28-30; rather, it’s that those words force me to consider just how it is that being the salt of the earth, pursuing righteousness, avoiding anger, speaking honestly and keeping my word, loving my enemies, giving secretly, not judging others, and so on, and so on, can prove restful. What is the nature of Christian community that the “burdens” of discipleship are in fact (not just in perception) “light” and opportunities for “rest”? Just what sort of “rest” is this?
October 24th, 2007 at 2:12 am
SPIRITUAL REST,SCOTT Hebrews 4:3 Only can your burdens become light in full surrender of his love
in faith and trust you have crucified self and alowed him(Christ) to live through you, therefore becoming the salt of the earth,his righteousness is salt liveing in you through you in Christ living in you the hope of glory, Colossians1:27 2:12-14…Galations 2:19-20 ,the only way you can can be salt of the earth and lead others into the rest(kingdom)is to let Christ rule in your heart through the work of love of the Holy Spirit.this applies to every day life no matter what you face,look what he faced for us.,you are now living in his Kingdom if you are living in him,the Lords prayer Luke 11:2 says THY WILL not” my will”,be done on earth as it is in heaven,Thy Kingdom come,Jesus says low the kingdom of God is within you.Luke 17:21 I am lifting you in the prayer of love each day my brother intercedding for your spiritual walk,Jesus said to the woman at the well the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth;for the Father seeketh such to worship him JOHN 4:10-23 A well of water springing up in you (spiritual water)Holy Spirit.,take heart Scott your little Lord is near you too,he knows our thoughts for he lives within our hearts.Isaiah 55:8 hope this helps your walk with him,I joy in my Saviour at all times.
October 25th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Thanks, Linda, though I wasn’t looking so much for answers as for a conversation. My questions were, to that end, mildly rhetorical. Jesus’ words challenge me. I haven’t lost heart. If anything, it is the provocation of his words (and of so many New Testament writings) that give me heart (for lack of a better way to put it).
That being said, I’m still very interested to explore what is the nature of “spiritual rest.” Hebrews 4:3 is a good reference. I was struck to find that it is part of the same section as the well-known words of 4:12-13. In some respects, it’s even more brow-furrowing to notice the writer’s admonition in verse 11. Throughout the passage of 4:1-13, there is a curious tension between “rest” and “labor”.
Luke 17:21 is another excellent reference in this regard. “In you” can also be read “among you” (i.e., in both the person and the work of Jesus, the latter being something perpetuated through his followers), which shifts the focus from something internal and individual to something external and communal.
Taken together, Matthew, Luke, and Hebrews seem to convey a certain irony with regard to salvation, the kingdom of God, and discipleship: namely, that our membership therein is the result of absolutely nothing we ourselves do, yet that membership puts upon us fierce demands with regard to faith, interpersonal relationships, service, and so on. All this to say, I guess, that “rest” is not easy.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:30 am
I’m finding it very hard to rest with so much to do!
November 10th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Scott and Bubba I will answer your comment soon.I have to take your WORDS to the LORD and talk it over with him.Be patient.
November 22nd, 2007 at 8:34 am
I love this conversation and topic. Scott E., I’m not sure where you find the words “in you” in Luke 17:21. What version of the Bible are you using?
November 28th, 2007 at 4:22 am
HALLELUJAH ….. Scott. you have longing hunger to know the way of God,I am still talking with the Lord. so hear goes our conversation ‘King James” Scott is what I have studied over 35 years,in you Jesus is speaking of his Kingdom he is building IN HIMSELF through faith in his cleansing Power of sacrifice for sin through the cleanseing POWER of his BLOOD that redeems us by believing he is who he says he is,THE SON OF GOD.Colossians:1:27 You have the power living in you,you just have not relize that Jesus is a mystery to those who he affects deeply who is searching for the true Christ,you are one of his searchers,here is where the HOLY SPIRIT is doing his MYSTERIOUS WORK in your hearts understanding of his Kingdom makeing you realize the hidden treasures of wisdom in full assurance of understanding the richs of his kingdom not seen by human eyes but by the eyes of the spirit that resides within you.in you.Colossians 2:2,3,look at colossians 1;13…the holy spirit translates us INTO THE KINGDOM of his dear son….Romans:8:9,10,11,16 Dwell in You,His spirit Dwells IN YOU. the Holy spirit bears witness he is the conforter(John 14:26)remember what I said about rest?its spiritual rest that gives us confort in him.The REAL JESUS CHRIST IN THE SPIRIT WHO DWELLED WITH US AND WALKED WITH Us 2000 years ago ,gave his life a ransom for many who would trust him and live IN HIM BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD….hope this helps your understanding of our Lord.In Jesus, Linda J ps. you have a hunger for spiritual food.In the volumn of the book it is written of me.Psalm:40:7
November 28th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
First, in response to “scott” (not the first time I’ve had a conversation with myself — ha ha), I am using the NRSV and Greek. I was incorrect when I wrote “in.” It should actually be “within.” But the point stands because the word being used there can mean “within” or “among,” and the “you” is plural.
In reply to Linda, nowhere in this particular context is there any indication that Jesus is speaking of a kingdom being built “within himself.” Reading Luke in light of Paul (e.g., Colossians and Romans) is a worthwhile and necessary exercise in canonical or biblical theology, but it doesn’t offer us much help with regard to understanding what the author of Luke wanted to teach when he first wrote his Gospel.
Notice that there are two audiences being addressed in Luke 17:20-18:8. The Pharisees are the audience in 17:20-21, and the disciples are the audience in 17:22-18:8. The two dialogues are designed to be read together, but they’re not one in the same. The author of Luke seems concerned with correcting certain misunderstandings about various aspects of the kingdom of God, e.g., its timing, its nature, how one is to identify it, etc. (cf. 19:11-27; 21:7-36; and Acts 1:6), and with interpreting the kingdom of God in a particular manner that has to do with its relationship to the person and presence of Jesus (see 4:43; 6:20; 8:1; 9:2; and 12:32, and especially 10:9-11 and 11:20).
Sometimes, we take things like this for granted, or else fail to see the significance because we’ve so thoroughly adopted Luke’s (and Paul’s) perspective. But it’s important to remember that when these texts were written there were quite a variety of perspectives being proffered and debated. Moreover, it wasn’t until much later that readers were in a position to see and read the writings of Paul and Luke (and all the other New Testament writers) side by side.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Bubba,you need to set aside a time for yourself on meditateing upon what seems to take up so much of your life,space and time,If there is no peace in your life and you can`t find rest,go sit by the water and just lisson,don`t think of anything,just lisson and tell me what you hear,use your 5 sinces God has given you.Let God have his time and you will find your rest in the mist of a busy world.You deserve this time of rest seek it and you will find it.Watch the leaves on the trees.Your friend,In Jesus,Linda J