Thy will be Done...the Wayfarer 3/15/19

Come unto Me

Matthew 11:27-30 King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

All of the old Hymns that I regularly use as reference are based in the scriptures that inspired them, to include the one chosen for today.

Each of them takes short pieces of that scripture, that must be more fully read to place context within their content.

It is the context and content of the scripture that takes precedence over the words and music that accompany the hymns that give them importance and significance, unlike much of the secular music heard that takes no guidance from scripture, being driven instead by whatever may feel good to the hearer based on current society’s standards and moral values, or, in my own opinion, lack thereof.

Neither the scripture, nor the hymn used today was ever intended to promise a constant warm fuzzy utopian existence within THIS world, but were intended instead as a reminder that the heaviness of the load carried while existing in this world need not follow us, nor be cause for concern as we face the certainty of eternity.

Both the scripture and the song point out that there is help available while bearing that load, if that help is sought, and the promise of relief of that load both now, in part, and then in total!

Hear the blessèd Savior calling the oppressed,
“O ye heavy laden, come to Me and rest.
Come, no longer tarry, I your load will bear,
Bring Me every burden, bring Me every care.”

Refrain

Come unto Me, I will give you rest;
Take My yoke upon you, hear Me and be blessed.
I am meek and lowly, come and trust My might.
Come, My yoke is easy, and My burden’s light.

Are you disappointed, wandering here and there,
Dragging chains of doubt and loaded down with care?
Do unholy feelings struggle in your breast?
Bring your case to Jesus—He will give you rest.

Refrain

Stumbling on the mountains dark with sin and shame,
Stumbling toward the pit of hell’s consuming flame.
By the powers of sin deluded and oppressed,
Hear the tender Shepherd, “Come to Me and rest.”

Refrain

Have you cares of business, cares of pressing debt?

Cares of social life, or cares of hope unmet?

Are you by remorse or sense of guilt depressed?

Come right on to Jesus, He will give you rest.

Refrain

Have you by temptation often conquered been,
Has a sense of weakness brought distress within?
Christ will sanctify you, if you’ll claim His best.
In the Holy Spirit, He will give you rest.

Refrain

Though the date of the first publication of this hymn remains unknown to me, its author, Charles P Jones lived from 1865 until 1949, times of upheaval and turmoil, that spanned a lifetime that was undoubtedly filled with burdens and cares of the “Progress” that unfolded itself during that time frame.

That same “Progress” continues to unfold, ever more rapidly, as do the cares that beset believers with its continuance.

The burden of all that transpires within this world is not ours to bear, nor should we expect cessation of the onslaught of that “Progress” which will continue to deny rest for those wearied by it.

Rest is to be found in the fact that that burden of that “Progress”, (and ever increasing sinfulness of such “Progress”) was never ours to bear to begin with, and has already been borne by Christ Jesus.

Our yoke, to be worn with pride, is easy indeed, because it is only our own yoke, a yoke that puts us in tandem, allowing us to pull our load far more easily than those attempting to pull alone, or worse still attempting to escape the yoke, and become a part of the load itself.

Our labor is still required, despite its often seeming heaviness, as the load grows with each new day of life, with each new threat that besets us, but we are not alone in meeting those threats.

Jesus said that the yoke was easy, not nonexistent. He said the burden is light…. And it is when we allow HIM to carry it for us.

Rest and peace are to be expected, but it is rest and peace of a soul acknowledging the certainty of eternity while bearing the burden of mortality.

John 14:27 King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Faith in the promise requires faith in the giver of that promise.

Rest and peace are to be found only through Christ Jesus who bore the burdens already, and continues to bear them for those who choose to allow Him to through faith, and endurance.

Amen and Amen

CMc