The Incredible Invitation

September 12, 2019

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-29 MSG

I remember years ago when my husband Charlie was a young pastor and community leader. It was the mid-80s and President Ronald Reagan led the most powerful nation in the world. Oliver North was a U.S. Marine Lt. Colonel who was leading U.S. efforts in the Middle East. I remember the excitement when a white envelope came to our house, embossed with this address: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500.

It was an invitation to Charlie to be a presidential guest at the White House along with several hundred other community leaders for a briefing on the state of the nation. You can imagine how significant this was to us! We had to adjust dates and schedules and finances to make it happen, but the invitation was so incredible, it seemed every sacrifice was worth it.

You and I have received a targeted invitation from the most powerful leader of all time, Jesus Christ Himself. But what we hear in the invitation is not power or might. We hear an invitation to peace, rest, recovery, restoration. It’s an invitation to live freely and lightly. Frankly, it seems too good to be true.

The invitation is tailor-made for overwhelmed, overscheduled, overextended hearts. It’s directed to the weary and burned out, or those well on their way. Jesus says, “Come to me. Get away with me and I will teach you how to recover your life.” That’s the pre-requisite. We must let go of the way we are currently living to walk with Him, work with Him. It requires sacrificing the way you do things now, but every sacrifice is worth it. You will never receive a more significant and transformative invitation.

He wants to teach you the rhythms of grace. A musician might say, “He will teach you to get in your groove.” A 12-stepper might say, “He’ll teach you to let go and let God.” Jesus defines it as nothing heavy and ill-fitting; nothing forced. We will find life that is truly life, rest that is truly rest—walking with Him and doing it as He does it. Free and light.

• Jesus, I need the harmony and rhythm of Your grace in my life. Help me pry my fingers off the chaos that has become my norm and walk into the rest and freedom of Your invitation. I am Yours. Amen.