Dear Brothers & Sisters

I trust that you all and your families are doing well.

Please see below the link for my pre-recorded service and the attached for reflection for Sunday 5 July:

https://youtu.be/WPncyXXtQ0E

THERE IS REST FOR YOU IN JESUS

Text: Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

Reading: Matthew 11:25-30
Hymn: I heard the voice of Jesus say – StF 248

We all are tired and weary but the need for and readiness to find rest seem to be out of our vocabulary. We are tired from the stress and strain of life, yet our bodies defy rest. We have all become busy bees. We are busy making money, yet we never have enough. We are busy looking for good health, yet our health is worsening because we fail to rest. We are busy trying to please God, but he rather invites us to come to him. Since the advent of COVID-19, the world is doing all it can to get rest from the burden of this havoc-recking pandemic, yet there is no rest in sight as the virus continues to infect more people and sadly kill thousands. This rest, which seems to be out of our reach, is what Jesus invites us to enjoy in him.

Jesus’ invitation is specifically to those who are tired of hard labour and whose necks are breaking from carrying heavy burdens. There are many who do not realise or acknowledged that they are in hard labour or are carrying heavy loads. We all need to come to that realisation of the weariness of our life and soul so that we can feel our need of Jesus. The call is simple – come to me. Jesus is here being simple and clear, without being simplistic. He does not play down the fact that you are in difficulty. He does not deny the fact that what you are going through is hard and harsh to bear. He does not even disagree with you that you have tried all but to no avail. All he asks is ‘come to me’. He is offering his whole being as the solution to the problems of the whole world. We need to take a step of faith and trust him on his word and come for the rest we so desperately need.

After coming to him, Jesus invites us to take his yoke upon us. Yoke here may suggest more work, but that work is simply believing in Jesus. He says in John 6:29 that “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” And in John 15:4 that “Abide in me” (like a branch in a vine). Believing and abiding; that really is all the work God requires of us, which will lead to resting on the hopeful promises of God. That is the yoke Jesus calls us to put on. Our burdened souls only truly find rest in one place: Jesus knows that he only is our salvation, our fortress, our mighty rock, our refuge. He is the one answer to every question, concern, fear, and need. And so, he simply and comprehensively offers us himself. For our hope is from him. Only in him THERE IS REST FOR YOU IN JESUS

Text: Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

Reading: Matthew 11:25-30
Hymn: I heard the voice of Jesus say – StF 248

We all are tired and weary but the need for and readiness to find rest seem to be out of our vocabulary. We are tired from the stress and strain of life, yet our bodies defy rest. We have all become busy bees. We are busy making money, yet we never have enough. We are busy looking for good health, yet our health is worsening because we fail to rest. We are busy trying to please God, but he rather invites us to come to him. Since the advent of COVID-19, the world is doing all it can to get rest from the burden of this havoc-recking pandemic, yet there is no rest in sight as the virus continues to infect more people and sadly kill thousands. This rest, which seems to be out of our reach, is what Jesus invites us to enjoy in him.

Jesus’ invitation is specifically to those who are tired of hard labour and whose necks are breaking from carrying heavy burdens. There are many who do not realise or acknowledged that they are in hard labour or are carrying heavy loads. We all need to come to that realisation of the weariness of our life and soul so that we can feel our need of Jesus. The call is simple – come to me. Jesus is here being simple and clear, without being simplistic. He does not play down the fact that you are in difficulty. He does not deny the fact that what you are going through is hard and harsh to bear. He does not even disagree with you that you have tried all but to no avail. All he asks is ‘come to me’. He is offering his whole being as the solution to the problems of the whole world. We need to take a step of faith and trust him on his word and come for the rest we so desperately need.

After coming to him, Jesus invites us to take his yoke upon us. Yoke here may suggest more work, but that work is simply believing in Jesus. He says in John 6:29 that “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” And in John 15:4 that “Abide in me” (like a branch in a vine). Believing and abiding; that really is all the work God requires of us, which will lead to resting on the hopeful promises of God. That is the yoke Jesus calls us to put on. Our burdened souls only truly find rest in one place: Jesus knows that he only is our salvation, our fortress, our mighty rock, our refuge. He is the one answer to every question, concern, fear, and need. And so, he simply and comprehensively offers us himself. For our hope is from him. Only in him will we find rest for our souls. Come to Jesus and find rest. Amen.

Stay blessed and stay safe

Kofi