Our Valentine’s Day Visit

I was able to have a special early Valentine’s Day visit with Anna today. Maggie and Rachel had made her Valentine’s Day cards. It was very good. She was rested, and spiritually and mentally in a good place. She will be coming home Monday morning. She is counting the hours…and so are we! We visited talked, played, hugged, and prayed together.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says,

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Sometimes I think the Church gives the impression that Jesus is looking for people who have it together who can serve Him well. This passage tells us the opposite is true. Jesus is looking for the weary and the burdened. He is not looking for people to serve Him as much as He is looking for people who with let Him serve them. Rest is what He offers. Help, healing and hope are what He trades for our worn out souls and weary spirits. While his rabbinic contemporaries made living for God seem like a great and heavy responsibility, Jesus way, His yoke, is easy and light—love is the requirement.

Why can we trust Him? Because He is gentle and humble in heart. He is not out for Himself. He is not looking to get recognition, success, praise, or fame from us. He already has more than we could ever give Him anyway. He is simply looking to love and serve and to teach us to do the same.

I shared these thoughts with Anna. She responded by giving me a big hug. She knows it is true. It is her experience. Looking forward to having the whole family back under one roof—our roof—next week.