Come to Me (1) - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Come to Me, all ye who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls.
Matthew 11:28–29 JND

Come to Me (1)
In the Old Testament, we find several people who said, “Come to me” as an invitation. Joseph said to his brethren “Take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land” (Gen. 45:18). Joseph, who had been rejected by his brethren, now invites them to come to him to enjoy the best of the land of Egypt. What grace!

In the day when the golden calf had been built, when Moses returned from Mount Sinai, he gave the invitation, “He that is for Jehovah, let him come to me” (Ex. 32:26). It was a time of decision, and all who feared Jehovah were to gather to Moses.

In the New Testament, we read at least twice of the Lord Jesus giving the invitation to come to Him. He is the One greater than Joseph who desires to bless His people; and He is the One greater than Moses to whom His people today are to rally.

In Matthew 11, our Lord gives the invitation to all who are weary and burdened to come to Him. In Him is found rest for the soul. Are you weary? Go to Him! Then, for all who come to Him, He has an additional instruction: we are to take His yoke upon us. This implies submission and obedience. He, of course, perfectly lived out these two things in His own life.

As believers, we must learn them, too. Are there disappointments in your life? May we learn to submit to His good and perfect and acceptable will. Are you tempted to take a path outside of His will? Christ never took a vacation from the path of obedience. May we also learn to obey as He obeyed!

-- Kevin Quartell