Matthew 11

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.^[a]

² When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’^[c]

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,^[d] and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ Whoever has ears, let them hear.

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁷ “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Woe on Unrepentant Towns

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[e] For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

The Father Revealed in the Son

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
²⁷ “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

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      There are a lot of different ways that I thought of going with this entry.  God's love for the poor.  The value of Free will.  Responding to signs.  Looking for God to conform to our expectations.  But the piece that always, always calls out to my soul is the final two sentences.  

"You will find rest for your soul."

Rest is what my heart longs for above all else.  Life is exhausting.  People are exhausting.  Dealing with the pressures and stresses and chaos of the world leaves me feeling completely wrung out.  I know part of that is that I am an introvert working an extroverted job.  Part of that is my personality type and characteristics.  Part of that is the type of career that I pursue.  Part of that is simply that life is hard...especially if you are willing to choose to love people and walk with them through the muck of their lives.  I go to bed every night completely spent and wondering how I could possibly sleep enough to make it through the next day.

And then Jesus says that He can give rest to my soul.  He says that life in him is filled with purpose and hope and joy and all the things I am so desperate for.  His yoke, his calling and direction for my life, is easy and light.  How does that reconcile with taking up your cross, with suffering for the gospel?  I think that it has to do with long term perspective.  The sufferings and hardships of this life are a tiny blip on the timeline of eternity.  We are called to pour ourselves out for this time in order to have God fill us up for eternity.  We are invited into investing in relationships in order to be invested in by the Creator.  We are called to sabbath, to follow God's creation model, as we move throughout this life.  We are called to give up our lives so that God may give back an even greater gift.

My heart yearns for home, for peace, for rest.