A paraphrase of the amazing offer of Jesus to the weary in Matthew 11 ... for the holidays and for every day ...
“My child, when you find yourself weary during this holiday season, please come to Me. Don’t keep trying to live under the burden of sin that exalts itself during the Christmas holidays. Don’t keep trying to press on under the burden of doing the holidays a certain way or keeping up with the holiday demands on your own, trying to be perfect in your approach to decorating, socializing, gift buying, being the family peacemaker and more. That pace, and those expectations will wear you out. They will deposit weariness into your soul. And if you stay weary, you’ll become discouraged. Discouragement will tempt you to give up on Christmas or at least grow to dread this amazingly wonderful time of year.
Laboring through the holidays in your own wisdom and according to your own understanding will zap you of your physical, emotional and spiritual energy. Don’t let the holiday traditions of others become your obligation as you celebrate this season. Those traditions might work for others but they will weigh you down, their demands are heavy. Come to Me, I am your papa and I am pleased with you. Enjoy relationship with me during the holidays instead of trying to be perfect or religious or something that someone else is expecting you to be. Come to Me. Learn of Me. Love like I love and obey Me with simple abandon instead of trying to follow all the demands and obligations of the season.
Listen for My voice. I will speak a word to your heart and it will not be burdensome. When you come to Me your weariness will be overcome by My steadfast love. Your discouragement will melt as you embrace My way of rest; rest for your mind, will and emotions. When you come to Me, I will refresh your soul and set you free to worship and celebrate during this season that is set aside to call you to a new place of wonder and awe. Wonder and awe of ME, not of your beautiful home nor even your precious children, not of your wanted gifts or your much awaited vacation but of Me. Choose to fix your heart on the wonder and awe of your eternal home and of the most amazing story of all time, that I came into your world as a dear little baby so that you, and those you love, might have life abundant and life eternal. Come to me when you are feeling weary and over burdened and I will give you rest.”
28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
29Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.
30For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.
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