FAITH CAPSULE: Labor which takes man away from serving God is also a labor without His rest.

Matthew 11:25-30

In the life of a man, labor is inevitable or else stealing will become acceptable to one who does not engage labor. Ones who do not labor will be stealing. The book of Ephesians 4:28 buttresses, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” As one who confesses Christ, has your labor become heavy and backed with struggle? Laboring is of God but laboring that inhabits heavy laden is not of God. The word of God commands in Exodus 20:9, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” Apparently, any labor that is outside of God’s command becomes heavy laden, a kind of labor which takes away man from serving Him? God encourages us to labor but not to allow labor to overtake us from serving Him. Labor which takes man away from serving God is also a labor without His rest.
Claiming to have known Him is not enough until one begin to lay hold on the promises which are encased in the word of God. Are you an acclaimed believer that has been laboring long enough and yet your burden continues to be heavy. What is it that could have gone wrong? Why does your burden remain heavy when it is supposed to be light? Jesus has not spoken and failed to do what He says He will do. There is a message of invitation in His communication when He stated, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) There is a place of rest from labor and that place is inside of your deliberate response to His call and going to Him to let out your heavy laden. In the letting out of your heavy laden, you will exchange it for His yoke. He said it in Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” His yoke is not heavy, but it is demanding. Jesus’ yoke demands that we learn and when we are able to learn, we shall live by what is learned from Him. A failure to live with a gentle and lowly heart is the evidence of not having learned from Him. As an acclaimed believer, examine yourself; look at the source of all your heavy laden labor which lack rest. You will found out that you have not been operating what you claim to have learned. Take to the Word of God and He will take up your heavy laden. He said it all in Matthew 11:30, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Do not rust out; rest in Him.

 Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of complete obedience to His word.