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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
Are you fed up? Are you fed up with all that is going on, and you sense that longing and desire to live differently? Many realise they are living in a rut, facing tensions, and feeling stressed and pressured.
You can be ‘fed up’ that way, or you can be fed with the Word of God which nourishes, encourages and strengthens.
Being ‘fed up’ or ‘down’ can apply to believers in Jesus Christ as well as to those who have no faith in Jesus Christ. There can be times when we have to be real and open and honest – yes, even believing disciples.
We do not necessarily change when we ‘see the light’, but when we feel the pain.
Jesus Christ spoke to people who were tired and weary. His solution was, “Come to Me”. Jesus saw people carrying heavy burdens and He wanted to help them.
Over these past months we have seen various prominent people take their own lives. They may have been famous, but not fulfilled – with lots of money, but not a lot of meaning – a lot to live on, but not a lot to live for.
Many did not appreciate the ministry of John the Baptist. In fact, there were those who did not appreciate very much. When appropriate music was played they would not dance. When a dirge was sung they would not mourn.
The cities of Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, in the north of Israel, rejected the preaching and teaching of Jesus. They liked the miracles, but not the message.
Jesus appealed to these people, “Come to Me”. Read and re-read his words at the end of Matthew Chapter 11.
Some came to Jesus for all kinds of reasons. He did not care why people came to Him, as long as they came.
Jesus Christ offers the weary rest. Those who carry a heavy load are invited to share their burden with Him.
Give Him your good and best in life. Give Him the bad and worst in life – the disappointments, pain, sadness and frustrations.
When Jesus Christ spoke to weary burdened men and women, he appealed to them – “Come to me” – for rest.
He did not say, to the synagogue – nor to a programme, seminar, conference, religion, rules, regulations, and rituals – but, “Come to me”. There may be nothing wrong with some of these, but the invitation of Jesus was, and is, very different.
He offers a yoke. “Oh no, I don’t want a yoke – my present burden is enough!”
Are you fed up? Are you fed up with all that is going on, and you sense that longing and desire to live differently? Many realise they are living in a rut, facing tensions, and feeling stressed and pressured.
You can be ‘fed up’ that way, or you can be fed with the Word of God which nourishes, encourages and strengthens.
Being ‘fed up’ or ‘down’ can apply to believers in Jesus Christ as well as to those who have no faith in Jesus Christ. There can be times when we have to be real and open and honest – yes, even believing disciples.
We do not necessarily change when we ‘see the light’, but when we feel the pain.
Jesus Christ spoke to people who were tired and weary. His solution was, “Come to Me”. Jesus saw people carrying heavy burdens and He wanted to help them.
Over these past months we have seen various prominent people take their own lives. They may have been famous, but not fulfilled – with lots of money, but not a lot of meaning – a lot to live on, but not a lot to live for.
Many did not appreciate the ministry of John the Baptist. In fact, there were those who did not appreciate very much. When appropriate music was played they would not dance. When a dirge was sung they would not mourn.
The cities of Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, in the north of Israel, rejected the preaching and teaching of Jesus. They liked the miracles, but not the message.
Jesus appealed to these people, “Come to Me”. Read and re-read his words at the end of Matthew Chapter 11.
Some came to Jesus for all kinds of reasons. He did not care why people came to Him, as long as they came.
Jesus Christ offers the weary rest. Those who carry a heavy load are invited to share their burden with Him.
Give Him your good and best in life. Give Him the bad and worst in life – the disappointments, pain, sadness and frustrations.
When Jesus Christ spoke to weary burdened men and women, he appealed to them – “Come to me” – for rest.
He did not say, to the synagogue – nor to a programme, seminar, conference, religion, rules, regulations, and rituals – but, “Come to me”. There may be nothing wrong with some of these, but the invitation of Jesus was, and is, very different.
He offers a yoke. “Oh no, I don’t want a yoke – my present burden is enough!”
It is the picture of two oxen ploughing up and down a field. Jesus wants to share the load we are carrying, and be our life’s partner. We then move together, in the same direction, and at the same pace.
We cannot go faster, nor veer off into trouble – whatever that trouble might be.
As a carpenter, Jesus may have made the smoothest yokes in Nazareth, but it is still a yoke, and you cannot be proud or arrogant when your head is in a yoke – but you will never lose your dignity when yoked to Jesus Christ – never.
The offer is ‘rest’ for our lives, which means more than tired muscles. Jesus also deals with minds experiencing anxieties and worries.
This is the opposite to the culture of today’s society. ‘Go; fill your time; you need to have more, and be more’ – but that never satisfies the emptiness.
“If only I could grasp that one thing or have that quality as part of my character – if only I could get to the top of the mountain, and enjoy the view from such a lofted and elevated position.” All that would be so temporary.
We will be yoked to something. Jesus’ yoke is easy and fits perfectly, and will suit you as you wear it.
“Almighty God – Loving Father – help me never to miss out on that rest and peace which You offer through Jesus Christ. In this testing and stressed world where there is so much arguing and suffering and bloodshed, help me, strengthened by the rest You give, and the Power of the Holy Spirit – help me to continue to serve faithfully and lovingly, in the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen”
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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