Come to Me, God says: Intervention no. 14

 A Soul-Changing Intervention

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 

God calls to us, but it is up to us to come. Coming to Him is the best thing we will ever do.

LET’S BEGIN—

COME: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden.  

This is a direct request in response to our human need.

GOD ASKS US TO COME. The first thing to note in this scripture is that Come unto me denotes a requiring of action from us. Action is common to change if we truly want help. It takes effort on our part, from our self, to begin a seeking of Him. Personal initiative is the beginning, the crucial first step.

God wants this from every one of us. This is well documented in story after story in the biblical narrative of Jesus as he helped people. He would ask the person to take a step of faith before He responded to their need. The Old Testament also has stories where God required an act of faith by the person before the response of God would take place.

God is the object. Come unto Me, which is God. This is key, to find God in it all, in every circumstance of life. Come to Him even in the hurts and disappointments.

The question is, how do we come?

The coming is dependent on openness, surrender, and willingness to say what we mean and mean what we say in total and complete awareness and honesty. We come with no pretending or hiding behind superficial, spiritual, do-gooder masks. It is like looking in a mirror without your face make-up on or clothing on for that matter.

We are naked before Jesus as we remove our self-protected ways of doing things, to become ready and willing to receive the real truth as it is revealed to us. Do we dictate to God? How much do we let self, even hurt, dictate its agenda? Come requires trust—not reasons, explanations, excuses, justifications or self-vindication.

It says, here I am. I’m ready. Okay, God, let’s get to work. Show me my hurt, my selfishness, my past.

Dear Father in Heaven, we all need You, desperately need You. I pray that we will quit being stubborn to be willing and open to Your spirit. Amen

*More tomorrow

To God be the Glory

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A Message of Life

Inspiration 52 

God Helps His Children: Intervention 13

Application of the Christ Life

Finding God in the Daily

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

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. 

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

Matthew 11:28-30  

 Refreshing of the soul comes in increments as God facilitates the process.

THROUGH GOD'S WORD in Matthew 11:28-30 comes an illustration on how God brings refreshing to His children through the Christ-life in them. There are many other scriptures that develop the concept of closeness with God. Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles demonstrate how meaningful spiritual relationship helps draw His followers closer to Himself.

This scripture passage validates that part of the human experience is being weary and heavy laden. God comes along side to help those in need to become fully whole. This transformation is accessible for all followers of Christ. Believers experience peace and rest as God helps them handle their problems.

God does this for His children

   -that He may meet us where we are at 

        -to show how He comes along side us and

             -offers to assist and guide, and how 

                      -God proceeds to set us free.

This one is personal. The remainder of the Intervention Series is personal commentary. I apply Matthew 11:28-30 as a means to share truth, and as a way to unfold how God ministers to personal, spiritual, and emotional needs in Christians.

I use no other reference materials. This is not a word study or an analysis of Scriptural content. The content is written as a guide and practical application for personal growth. It should help to set believers on the right path, and to show that they can become free in their inner life.

In upcoming posts, I highlight scripture phrases and then comment on their meaning and application. Please jot down any ideas that come as you read through these posts. Please share your thoughts in the Comments section as you see fit. I am the facilitator of the process.
Blessings!

Father, You will help us brave the adversity as it comes and soften our reactions in the quietness. You are a wonderful Father. Amen

To God be the Glory

A Message of Life
Inspiration 51

What Christ Promises Us: Intervention no. 12

How God is the Answer to Our Whatever

Finding God in the Daily

I'm in the top row, far left.

Come unto me, all ye that labour 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.

Matthew 11:28-30  KJV

  
 God gives rest to our whole self whenever we need it and beyond.

The solution for dealing with the angst in life is found in God.

For two years I was part of a collegiate group of ten young women called Triple Trio (nine singers and a pianist). We traveled on weekends to minister in local churches and as representatives for our Christian college. 

During each performance, I recited the words to Matthew 11:28-30 before we sang “Come Unto Me.” The song was pure loveliness: its harmonies, lyrics, tune, artistic rendition. I can still replay the words and harmony in my memory with its alto notes resonating in deep tones. 

For a one year I quoted this passage in every performance, and I grew to love its words. The scripture soon became like a treasure to me. Many years have passed since then and now, yet its words of comfort quickly revisit me whenever I am in pain, anxious, or grieving a loss. I share it when others are in the midst of struggle or in need of encouragement.

Matthew 11:28-30 is rich with applicable content that refreshes the spirit whenever it is accessed. "I will give you rest," is for every moment. We need the rest that God gives. He facilitates rest in our whole being. Anxious? Pray these words as a promise from God. Christ's words provide appropriate content for showing how God activates this answer as a solution to the angst in daily living. God speaks life to us. Christ is life in us. The Spirit comforts, leads, and enables life with us. 

Dear Father God, You provide what we need and give hope to our days. Thank you for being Life to us. Amen

 

To God be the Glory

A Message of Life
Daily Inspiration 50

Two Ways to Live Spiritual Life: Intervention no. 11

LIVING SPIRITUAL LIFE 

as it should be lived

Finding God in the Daily

Complexity and simplicity both have their roots in spiritual life. Where you are in the mix is good to know.

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH is divided into two groups. One group has found Christ to be real and living and life changing. They have awakened from their slumber and are connected in interactive, intimate relationship with God. Theirs is a deepening faith with a genuine construct in its core.

The other group hopes and wants to find Christ as real and loving and life-changing, but they are still asleep, not fully accessing the life which Christ offers His children. Although they don't realize it, they are missing a life of closeness and meaningful relationship with God due to a perfunctory spirituality or a casual lacking-in-depth spiritual reality.

It need not be this way. Christ’s arms are open wide to all who will come unto Him. Lasting change starts from within and reaches out in faith and honesty. 

It is not just about us. It is also about God.

Life is hard but God is good. What God desires is to be close and complete in us. He may allow or at least use difficult things to gain our attention. He desires for us to reach out to Him that He may help us and offer us comfort and a new and better way. 

God does not want us to live in a wounded state bound in a spirit of fear with unhealed hurt trapped in the interior places. Our lives need the freedom that is found in a life hid in God. He wants to set us free and to restore us to wholeness.

God desires for us to come to Him with the painful stuff 

-that God may minister to our need, 

     -that we may grieve the offense, 

          -that God may enter and heal the hurt as He removes its 

              sharp piercing

              - that God may place peace as a salve 

                      -that brings healing and joy in the soul.

In the areas that have brought much distress, God guides you on a soul journey that, in time, brings you to health and wholeness through a renewal and restorative process.

I know this is true because it happened to me.

Father, Bring Your children close to You. Bless their hearts. Mold them and make them after Your will. Amen

To God be the Glory

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