“Come to me, all you 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 humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

What a beautiful invitation from Jesus!  This passage is worth reading over and over and memorizing so that it can easily be reflected upon during those more difficult moments in life.  We all have those moments.  The moments when we feel overwhelmed and burdened.  It could be we are burdened by some tragedy in life, or it could be we are burdened by the small and monotonous aspects of life.  One of the greatest daily burdens is that of our own sin.  But whatever the case may be, Jesus wants us to hear and believe these words.  “Come to me…” He says.  Come to me no matter what is going on in your life.  Come to me without hesitation and without fear. 

Jesus also promises us that His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light.”  What does that mean?  Does it mean that coming to Jesus will remove all hardship from our lives?  No, not really.  What it means is that coming to Jesus will enable us to endure and walk through any hardship we encounter in life.  

Advent reminds us that God the Son came and took on our human nature and all that goes along with being human.  And though He never sinned, He allowed Himself to experience the effects of sin and the burden it imposes.  So as God, He is able to look us in the eye and tell us that He understands our hardships because He lived them.  He lived them out of love for us so that He could help us endure, joyfully, all we face in life.

Reflect, today, upon this gentle and glorious invitation from Jesus.  Let Him enter into whatever it is that burdens you.  Let Him carry the yoke that you carry and give you, instead, the gentle yoke He has prepared for you.  The cross you bear may not go away, but it will be transformed and made light in His grace.

Lord, I surrender my life and all that I am to You.  I accept Your invitation to come to You.  Thank You for Your unfailing compassion and concern for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.