Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 KJV)

Are you laboring, trying hard, and wearying yourself to carry a heavy load that life has put on you? If you are, Jesus says you should come to Him, and He will take the load from you and give you rest. Let’s now see what that heavy load represents—it might not be what you think.

Jesus uses the metaphor of someone carrying a heavy load (possibly on their head) and suffering under the weight of that burden. Many of us immediately assume this load is figurative of sin. Although this verse fully applies to sinners carrying loads of sin, Jesus had something else in mind.

Instead of sin, the burden Jesus was referring to was religion. And not just religion as false religions of the Gentiles but the religion of the Old Testament coupled with man-made additions. Matthew 23:4 explains this religious burden clearly:

“For they(religious leaders) bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers”.

Religion is hard work. The Law by itself was a heavy yoke (Acts 15:10), but the religious leaders created more rules for the people, thus adding to their suffering. Unfortunately, rather than enjoying a living relationship with God, some Christians today carry a heavy load of Christianity and are sweating profusely under it: they are weary, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

The religion of Christianity (Christianism) will ruin us; there is no rest for the religious until they find rest in God’s grace in Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

MEDITATE

What part of your life carries a load of either sin or Christian religion?

APPLY THE WORD

Are you weary or exhausted by Christianity? If yes, chances are high that you are carrying something you should not be carrying. Unload your loads at the feet of Christ’s grace and love.