"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
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.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt.11:28-30."
Here is a giving by Christ, and on our part an acceptance of the promise, a conscious finding, a sense of relief from all perplexing doubt. Simple enough, is it not?--Thus it appears.
But the promise is large and far-reaching. It implies much.
It means deliverance from constant, perplexing uncertainty.
*The word "rest" is repeated. "I will give you rest." "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
The reason there are so many in perplexity
--is because they take their case into their own finite hands,
--and manufacture yokes that are not pleasant for them to wear. They think they understand their needs, and they worry and plan and devise, while Christ stands inviting, "Take my yoke upon you, ...For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Do not load yourself with cares that weigh you down to the ground.
Your troubles come because you are so anxious to manage matters yourself.
*By some, the promise of God is grasped so eagerly that it becomes their own, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is their experience.
*Others suppose that they must wait until they become worthy. To these I would say, Never, never, will you become worthy. If this
were possible, the Prince of heaven need not have come to our world.
Through the sacrifice and merits of the Redeemer, man is made a partaker of the divine nature; but he must act his part by co-operating with the One who has promised. Not only does Christ say, "I will give you rest," but, "Ye shall find rest unto your souls."
We are told in God's Word to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." What does this mean?--Fear lest you shall err in choosing the timber for your character-building.
--God alone can supply solid timber.
Well may mortal man be afraid lest he shall weave into his character the defective threads of his inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong.
Let not anything rob your soul of peace, of restfulness, of the assurance that you are accepted just now. Claim every promise; all are yours if you will comply with the prescribed terms.
When we fall upon the living Rock, our wrong traits of character are taken away as hindrances to perfection of character.
When self dies, Christ lives in the human agent. Acquaintance with Christ makes us long to abide in Him, and to have Him abide in us.
Published in The Review and Herald, April 25, 1899 E.G.W.
and I will give you rest.
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.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt.11:28-30."
Here is a giving by Christ, and on our part an acceptance of the promise, a conscious finding, a sense of relief from all perplexing doubt. Simple enough, is it not?--Thus it appears.
But the promise is large and far-reaching. It implies much.
It means deliverance from constant, perplexing uncertainty.
*The word "rest" is repeated. "I will give you rest." "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
The reason there are so many in perplexity
--is because they take their case into their own finite hands,
--and manufacture yokes that are not pleasant for them to wear. They think they understand their needs, and they worry and plan and devise, while Christ stands inviting, "Take my yoke upon you, ...For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
The yokes of human manufacture
gall the necks that wear them.
Do not load yourself with cares that weigh you down to the ground.
Your troubles come because you are so anxious to manage matters yourself.
*By some, the promise of God is grasped so eagerly that it becomes their own, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is their experience.
*Others suppose that they must wait until they become worthy. To these I would say, Never, never, will you become worthy. If this
Through the sacrifice and merits of the Redeemer, man is made a partaker of the divine nature; but he must act his part by co-operating with the One who has promised. Not only does Christ say, "I will give you rest," but, "Ye shall find rest unto your souls."
We are told in God's Word to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." What does this mean?--Fear lest you shall err in choosing the timber for your character-building.
--God alone can supply solid timber.
Well may mortal man be afraid lest he shall weave into his character the defective threads of his inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong.
Let not anything rob your soul of peace, of restfulness, of the assurance that you are accepted just now. Claim every promise; all are yours if you will comply with the prescribed terms.
--Entire self-surrender,
--an acceptance of Christ's ways,
is the secret of perfect rest in His love.
When we fall upon the living Rock, our wrong traits of character are taken away as hindrances to perfection of character.
When self dies, Christ lives in the human agent. Acquaintance with Christ makes us long to abide in Him, and to have Him abide in us.
Christ desires all to become His students.
His acceptance means rest to the soul, rest in His love." Published in The Review and Herald, April 25, 1899 E.G.W.