“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29, NKJV).
I was sharing with you last week about our souls, and how to let our spirits lead them. Here’s another thing about souls. They get tired. And Jesus has an answer for that: His rest. He holds it forth to us in this breathtaking Scripture. He invites us to come, and to receive His provision of rest.
I read this passage today, for the first time in The Passion Translation. Put into fresh wording, it captivated me all over again. Allow me to share it here with you:
Here’s what Holy Spirit spoke to me through this. Jesus here is self-disclosing. His rest for our souls is encapsulated in this self-disclosure of His. Deep rest for our inner being comes through the revelation of who He is. When He invites us to come to Him, He is simultaneously inviting us to “learn of Him.” In other words, He is inviting us to come let Him pour revelation of Himself into our hearts. Revelation of His nature. Revelation of His essence.
We’re not talking about head-level knowledge here. Rather, what He wants to give us is heart-level revelation of His gentleness, of His lowliness. Heart-level revelation of how He kneels down to meet us at our level, and to lift us up. Deep-heart revelation that He is easy to please… that He is profoundly delighted with our desire to draw near to Him… and that His heart lights up with happiness when we come close.
In this revelation of His heart is where our refreshment and rest will be.
Do you sometimes feel afraid that you just won’t get it? That your scars and the war-marks on your soul will keep you from knowing Him that way? There is incredible encouragement for you in the previous verse of this passage: “The Son is able to unveil the Father to anyone he chooses” (v. 27, TPT). He is able to reach your battle-weary heart with this deep-level revelation of His love that you so desperately need. He is able. He is able, and He is willing. He is faithful, and He will do it. It’s who He is. He is Healer. He longs to heal those wounds you carry inside. As you cry out for Him, He will meet you exactly where you are.
So come to Him. Just as you are, come to Him. Let this prayer well up from deep inside you: “Jesus, my soul needs rest. You are my rest. You are my oasis. I’m joining my life to Yours. Teach me the essence of Your nature. You are able to unveil Daddy to me. You are willing. You are eager. Reveal His love to my heart of hearts! At the deepest core level of me, show me who You are!”
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Has there come a point in your life when head knowledge started to become deep heart knowledge? If so, what was the turning point? What made the difference?
Feeding On Jesus 
Yes, Jennifer, the season I am in has made the difference! Circumstances allowed or brought about by God has interrupted my busy and “self” life as never before. I am now blessed each day with more time in His presence and in His Word. My dependence and His provision have become evident each minute of the day. The love and care of Jesus is being realized with each breath I am given. Much less time spent on dwelling on “intellectual thoughs” and more time on the sense of His reality in my spirit. So much more then I can express. My Love in Christ Jesus – Len Wisniewski
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I rejoice with you for this beautiful work He is accomplishing in your heart! There is absolutely nothing better! Thank You Jesus 🙂
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I understand the distinction between head-knowledge and heart-knowledge, but I find myself living in a both/and rather than an either/or. The more I study Scripture, the more I grasp by means of my head, but the same knowledge also enters my heart. J.
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I wholeheartedly agree! We most definitely need both. How could we meditate on Scripture if we didn’t memorize it with our heads? What I meant by what I shared here, is to emphasize the importance of not just staying with the head knowledge. Sadly, I know so many, many Christians who know about God’s love in more of an informational way, and it hasn’t yet sunk down deep and brought about the radical transformation that true revelation of His heart brings. But I am right there with you — we need the renewing of our minds along with the renewing of our hearts! By the way, are you at liberty to say what the initial J. stands for? Or is that what you prefer to go by in this context?
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Jeniffer you are great
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Praise the Lord! Thank you, my brother. 🙂
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Yes! From an early age, I have been fortunate enough to be taught the right things. But in the past year or so, it has really sunk in and become real to me. God has given you such tremendous insight!
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I’m so glad that it has! I was raised in a Christian home too, so I remember coming to that point 😊. How wonderful! And thank you for your kind words. He is so good, so generous in sharing His heart, as we seek Him!
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Amen!❤
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I like you to visit Europe. Here is our Lord Jesus
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He is certainly everywhere! And Europe is definitely a place where His beauty is on display 🙂
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Thank you and I thank God I took the time to check our your site. Yes and amen to what you have written. Even more I have learnt as I have aged and walked through so many of life’s more difficult circumstances is the certainty of His Presence with me and in me. Christ in us (by the Spirit) the Hope of Glory Cos.3. Truly understanding what ‘being born again’ helps so much with the letting go of all the unimportant and unnecessary head knowledge and looking at life always from a KINGDOM perspective. Thank God we are in this world but not of it so His wisdom is so much more important than all our wisdom. Blessings and Grace to you and those who are blessed by your site.
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Thank you, Faye! I am grateful for your sharing. I can definitely hear in your words the heart of one who has walked long with Him. There’s nothing more beautiful than that. May He richly bless you too as you lean ever into His heart!
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