by Darcia Kunkel

God’s Promise of Rest.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28, English Standard Version

I am tired. I have a husband, three children, two dogs, aging parents, and a full-time job. I am tired….of my past sin, lost dreams, regrets, lost aspirations, family relationships, an uncertain future, and the world itself. I am exhausted. I put on a brave face, but many times I want to give up. I find myself in a cycle of self-pity and complacency. No one seems to understand my situation, and no one seems to care.

This stone bench sits in my front yard, nestled among the trees. It beckons me to come…to sit….to rest. I am reminded of Shel Silverstein’s Book The Giving Tree.  We have lived in our house since November of 2016. I have never sat upon that bench.

Matthew understood what it feels like to be burdened by shackles of despair. As one of the disciples, he had his fair share of misery, doubt, and persecution. He also witnessed one of the most magnetic personalities in history. Not just that, but the Savior himself. What a weight that must have been to be a first-hand witness to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Matthew knew that the only way to find true peace was to cling to the Savior. For He does not always come with the fanfare of loud trumpets, but more often in the quiet of the day. How can we hear that soft voice if we fill it up with the clamoring of the world? Are we so busy that we do not have the time for stillness? For peace? For self-reflection? For silence?

I really need to get out there and sit on that bench. Listening to the quiet chirping of the birds and the rustling of the wind, not to mention God’s musings, could do me some good. Perhaps I can drown out the busy street next to me, and focus on what my Lord wants me to hear today?

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado