Day 11: He will give you rest

As we face another workday, I can imagine some of us to be carrying the weight of the daily grind. A tough economy and an increasingly uncertain world do not help. Endless work and life expectations that are upon us, including those of our own expectations, have clearly taken a heavy toll on some of us.

May I ask of you to heed the call of Jesus Christ that you come to Him, all you who are weary and burdened, and He will give you rest. 

I am speaking about true rest, not the kind of downtime the world speaks about. This is not about finding escape at the gym or sipping another glass of wine or booking the next vacation.

Rather, I speak of rest in the Lord that works deep within our souls, one that grants us the sense of being in the will of our Creator.

Jesus said: “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.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

In the Book of Exodus, upon hearing the cries for mercy and justice, God spoke to Pharaoh, the King of Egypt: “Let my people go!” 

Sadly, Pharaoh rebutted God and said: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?”

Pharaoh was indeed the King of Egypt. But God is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Name Above All Names. 

What is holding you in bondage?

Perhaps the Pharaoh that is holding you in bondage is not your boss, not your colleague, not your spouse, or your parents. It may be that the enthroned Pharaoh in your life that keeps you on a tight leash is you, your flesh, or your ego. 

And the subtitles of your heart clearly shout: Who is the Lord, that I should obey him? Does he not know of my work deadlines? The amount of financial debt I need to service? My performance improvement plan? My quotas? My sales targets? My unsupportive spouse? My horrible job appraisal? Does he know the politics of my workplace?

Yet God clearly says: “Let my people go!” Let go and let God do His work in your life, my friends.

And in so doing, one’s softened heart would be able to empathise, knowing that God’s compassion still goes to the last, the least and the lost. 

As much as God gives His ears to our cries, His heart goes to the vulnerable, the marginalised, the weak and the disadvantaged. How we treat the last, least and the lost defines who we are as a society and a community.

And so we ponder the issue of being a blessing to the nations. Accord them – for instance, the migrant domestic worker in your own household – with dignity and respect. Let us do right within our own yard. And, as a body of Christ, may our God-inspired compassion spur the wider Singapore public to accord that same dignity and respect to the migrant workers working and living in Singapore. And as such, we bless the nations!  

My friends, let not the pattern of this world overwhelm the wiring of your mind and heart: I’m talking about the endless fear of losing out to others in school, at work, the overwhelming expectation-led worries, or rat-race anxieties, or false dilemmas and other fear-mongering factors that constrict us from allowing Christ to be central to our lives. The Pharaoh in you ought to submit to God’s call: “Let my people go!”  

And in the same way, just as we are dearly loved children of God, may those of us who are parents remove any unjust burden that we might have laid upon our children. We are mere shepherds and stewards of the lives entrusted to us. Let go and let God be the author of their lives and their faith journeys. Not us.

Let me end with a short word of encouragement. Ephesians 5:1 says: “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” 

Let’s pray.

Father, we thank You for Your unconditional love. We thank You for the work of Your Holy Spirit that will help us and lead us and keep us in step. All for Jesus. Amen.

Reflect

1. Open your eyes to the nations within Singapore. Who do you see? What is one way you can reach out to bless the domestic worker in your home, the cleaner in your HDB corridor, the gardener in your park, the construction worker or garbage collector in your neighbourhood?

2. Is there a “Pharaoh” in your heart? What do you find difficult to let go of in exchange for true rest in the Lord?

3. What does Christ’s sacrifice for us inspire you to sacrifice for the last, the least and the lost in our midst and in the nations? 

Pray

1. Pray for spiritual discernment on how you can be God’s labourer to make disciples of all nations. Ask for insight into the role God has laid out for you to advance His Kingdom.

2. Pray for a sacrificial spirit that seeks others’ welfare over your own comfort. Consider the needs of the field and ask for open eyes and an open heart to respond in compassion and in faith.

3. Pray for those whom God has put in your life to shepherd and steward. Seek wisdom and insight, and pray for them to seek and find the Lord, so that as they are discipled, they will go on to disciple others.

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