Deep Rest

Have you noticed?  A lot of us are ‘tuckered out.’ 

Translated:  we’re weary – exhausted – depleted – desperate for any kind of rest.   

And so is it any surprise, the ‘rest industry’ is at an all-time high.   Why bookings on cruises continue to rise. and trips to monasteries and retreat centers, are on the increase. In addition: sales of specialty beds and mattresses are all the rage.  I mean at one time, we were satisfied with an over-stuffed mattress and a box spring.  Now we’re not content, we’re not rested – unless we purchase a Posturepedic bed – a Tempur-Pedic bed – or my favorite – a Sleep-Number bed.    

The Sleep-Number bed is especially intriguing, as each person receives his or her own particular – unique – personal – sleep-number – in line with the adjustments, the circumstances – we require, to get the rest, the relief we need.  

And so what is your sleep number?  What are the adjustments, the circumstances you require, to get the rest, the relief you need?  

Good news:  Jesus wants to help.  

"Come to me all you who are weary…and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you…” (Matthew 11:28).  

But wait a minute.  I was expecting a 'mattress,' not a mandate!  Take my yoke???   You’ve got to be kidding!!!  Why that doesn’t sound helpful -- that sounds heavy!   

But that’s because we don’t understand the meaning of yoke in the context of Rabbi Jesus. Remember Jesus was not just a Messiah, Jesus was also a teacher, a rabbi.  And every rabbi had a slant or bias toward God and scripture – which was known as the rabbi’s yoke.   

And so when Rabbi Jesus invites us to take on his yoke – Rabbi Jesus invites us to take on his slant or bias toward God and scripture. 

For Jesus’ slant, Jesus’ bias, Jesus’ yoke makes all the difference.

I believe the reason why we’re so tuckered out – is because we don’t consistently ‘take on’ the bias and slant of Jesus.   

Oh, we ‘take on’ the bias and slant of Jesus intermittently.  But for the most part – it’s on-again, off-again.    I mean we tend to ‘take on’ so many other things – other than Jesus.  

• We ‘take on’ worry and fear  
• We ‘take on’ judgmentalism  
• We ‘take-on’ works-righteousness 
• We ‘take-on’ political ideology 
• We ‘take-on’ egotism  
• We ‘take-on’ revenge and violence 
• We ‘take-on’ pride.  

But...we ‘take on’ the grace-filled – simple -- forgiving – slant of Jesus -- intermittently.   

How might we take on the slant of Jesus -- the yoke of Jesus -- more consistently -- moving away from an ‘on- again,’ ‘off-again’ Christian lifestyle?

Realize:  Everything But Christ, Is A Deception, A ‘Bad Fit.’  

In all honesty, other yokes, other slants on life, can look pretty good. But peace is only found as we affirm: Christ is the ‘best fit’; only Christ is true.  Jesus infers this when He says in Matthew 11:30 that “…my yoke is easy…” (Matthew 11:30).  

Now the word ‘easy’ has multiple meanings: kind, virtuous, manageable – but at its core, ‘easy’ means -- ‘better’ – the ‘best fit.’

But we’re so easily deceived.  Other yokes, other slants on life – look like a better fit – they seem so good.  I mean ask Harvey Weinstein -- the pleasure of the Hollywood 'casting coach' -- seemed so good! Ask Wells Fargo -- the financial boon of fake bank accounts -- seemed so good.   Ask Lance Armstrong -- the added performance resulting from pumping steroids -- seemed so good.  

But in each case – the result was not good -- it was bad – hurting and duping a ton of people.  I don’t know about you, but I hate to be duped. 

Years ago, I needed some outside work done on our property. And so I looked for a contractor in the Yellow Pages.  Fair enough. But did I make my choice by references, or calls to the Better Business Bureau, or checking out Angie’s List?  No. I made my choice on the appearance of the contractor’s ads!  I mean this particular contractor didn’t just have one 8 ½ x 6” ad; this contractor had two 8 ½ x 6” ads – gigantic ads.  And so I figured:  anyone who looked that good, must be good!   Well, you know the rest of the story:  he wasn’t good at all!  And so every day as I look at his shoddy workmanship I kick myself:  why did I make my choice by what looked good, rather than digging for what was true?  

God wants us to dig for what is true!  But here’s the good news:  you don’t need to dig far.  For only Jesus is true.  James says it best in James 1:16ff

“Don’t be deceived….every good and perfect gift…[comes] down from the Father of…heavenly light, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth…”  (James 1:16-18)  Jesus. 

But we must humble ourselves.  I mean a central reason we’re so inconsistent – taking ‘on and off’ the yoke of Christ – is because we’re so convinced – we’re so right.  But we’re not so right.  Why as Isaiah 64:6 reminds us, our right-ness, our righteousness is nothing but filthy rags. Thus, we must...   

Empty Self…Relinquishing, Releasing Control!   

Jesus Himself models such humility.  I mean Jesus is not stingy with rest – Jesus is eager to give rest for Jesus, Matthew 11 tells us is “….gentle and humble in heart…” (Matthew 11:29).    So if Jesus is gentle and humble in heart, we’re called to be gentle and humble in heart, affirming: self-surrender is central to finding rest.

Central to self-surrender -- in my experience -- is relinquishing control.   Translated:  I lack peace – on too many occasions – because I need too much control on too many occasions.  But friends: being a control freak is not good! For guess what – control freaks end up being – well…just freaks!  And freaks don’t end up with much peace – just a frantic way of life.   But there’s an alternative to control – its release to the God who ultimately controls everything – anyway!  

Once, Bruce Lawson tried to help a New York executive, with his control needs.  And so they walked to a large statue of Atlas standing in front of the RCA building in Manhattan.  As you might guess, Atlas is straining and struggling to carry the world on his shoulders. But then, Larson took the executive across the street to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  And there, behind the high altar, they stood in front of a statue of the boy Jesus -- also carrying the world, represented by a small orb in his hand. But unlike Atlas, Jesus is not straining or struggling -- just radiating peace.  And then it dawned on the executive: he had a choice -- continue to try to carry and control the world and struggle like Atlas – or – give control of the world -- including his world – to God – and know peace like Jesus. 

We have a similar choice: try to carry and control the world like Atlas and know struggle – or – give control of the world to God -- and know peace, like Jesus.   Know peace like Jesus!  Let go – release control – surrender pride and rightness – giving yourself – totally – it's to God.   

One practical 'tool' provided by God, is the gift of the Sabbath.  Currently, yet another New York City congregation, The Riverside Church is in the midst of a major sermon series on the Sabbath.  As they do so, the Riverside staff is unearthing precious resources, including powerful video teachings https://youtu.be/eFnGefcWly4  - and -- the wisdom of veteran faith leaders.  One leader is Abraham Heshell whose classic, Sabbath, spells out the character and requirement of God's gift, in gripping language.   

“He who wants to enter the holiness of the day must first lay down the profanity of clattering commerce, of being yoked to toil. He must go away from the screech of dissonant days, from the nervousness and fury of acquisitiveness and the betrayal in embezzling his own life...Six days a week we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we...care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul. The world has our hands -- but our soul belongs to Someone Else..."

Thus, key to finding rest, of finding sabbath -- is surrendering soul and self, to Someone Else -- to God.  But can do so with confidence, for as Andrew Murray reminds us: “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.”

Become Caught-Up, In The Actions, The ‘Dust’ Of Jesus.  

It’s fascinating:  most of us assume rest is passive.  But rest is not passive, especially rest in the Lord.  Why rest in the Lord is dynamic – as we do more than gaze at Jesus: we walk with Jesus – out into the everyday dust of life. 

It’s fascinating: during Bible days the number one goal of folks was to become caught up -- to be covered -- in the dust of their rabbis. http://ourrabbijesus.com/covered-in-the-dust-of-your-rabbi-an-urban-legend/  So too for rabbi Jesus; our number goal is to be caught up – to cover ourselves -- in His dust.  For as we take on Jesus’ yoke – we do so not in a static position – but in a dynamic position – joined with Jesus – partnering with Jesus, in all aspects of life.  

And so in a very real fashion we are, as Elton Trueblood notes, yoked with Jesus – much as two oxen are yoked -- as yokefellows – caught up in Jesus’ every move.  

The rest that results is an amazing rest -- reminiscent of the rest God promised Moses in Exodus 33:  

“…My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest…I will do the very thing you have asked -- because I am pleased with you -- and I know you by name…”  (Exodus 33:14; 17).  

And so, in the spirit of the old hymn: make me a captive Lord, and then I will be free -- make me a yokefellow to you, oh God -- bonded to Your every move -- and then I will find rest.

When our kids were little, they were often rest-less.  The result: a lot of crying and frustration, even anger.  But then we figured things out.  Why if the kids got closer to us – and moved with us – things settled down.  And so we tried all kinds of things to get the kids close.  Why often we’d just hold them – but often we’d put them in some gizmo – you know, a backpack or Papoose.  

But my favorite was the little harness we often -- literally -- put on our son Peter. I mean Peter was so rest-less – so independent – so strong-willed – that the only way we could control him -- the only way we could settle him down – was to put a tether on him and 'yank on his chain.'  But it worked:  whenever we needed to settle Peter down – we’d grab that tether and 'yank' on Peter’s 'chain.'  And rest, contentment – finally came.

God wants to 'yank on your chain.'  God wants to bring rest and contentment to our life.  But you need to be tethered to Him, bonded to Him.  

For it's true: it's only when we are captive that we are free.  It’s when we’re a yokefellow, that we finally find rest.

Find rest.   Come to Jesus.  For Jesus invites, receives all you are weary...giving rest. 

"...Take my yoke upon you…For my yoke is easy…”  (Matthew 11:28-30)  For my yoke is kind – my yoke is virtuous – my yoke is manageable – my yoke is the ‘best fit.’  

And so where are you rest-less?  

Let God move with you.  Let God get a hold of you.  Let God bond with you.  Let God 'yank on your chain.'  

And give you contentment…deep rest.