It’s audio devo day! Get ready for Holy Spirit to draw you in deeper into a real rest as you listen here:
(Ministered to by this? Subscribe for more like it to my Feeding on Jesus podcast, available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and most other podcast platforms!)
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Holy Spirit really wants you and me to get this. That’s why today’s devotional is the same passage as yesterday – just in a different version. I am convinced this expression of His heart is what He has for us right now.
“Walk with me and work with me.” This beautifully expresses the concept woven into Jesus’ words, “Take My yoke upon you.” The Lord is creating a picture here for us. The yoke brings two oxen together and binds them as one. Synergy happens. Progress happens. Forward movement happens, in union. Through this imagery, Jesus is inviting us, once again, into oneness with Him. He intends us to operate continually as a singular unit with Him. This is another vitally important facet of learning to enter into, and live out of, His rest.
His invitation reminds me of the first Hebrew verb in the phrase “…those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31). “Wait upon” is qavah in the original language. Qavah means to bind together. It carries the connotation of being twisted together, as in a rope or a braid. Do you see that? It’s as we are bound together, intertwined together, with the Lord, that we renew our strength. Waiting in His presence is not at all passive. It’s a focused pursuit of intimacy with Him. It means we inhabit our oneness with Him. This is where our souls will find rest.
Don’t you love the wording that continues in Matthew’s narrative? “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” I long to learn those unforced rhythms! Is this your yearning too? How can we learn them? He says, “Learn of Me.” We learn of Jesus; we absorb the energy of His grace, when we daily respond to His invitation. In learning of Him, these captivating rhythms of His grace pull us into sync with His Spirit.
This happens when we yield to Him. When He whispers, “Come to me… Get away with me… Walk with me… Keep company with me…”, we do. We come to Him and climb into His arms. We get away with Him each morning. We walk with Him throughout our day, hand in hand. We invite Him to be the center of our activities, and we keep intimate company with Him.
One afternoon not long ago, Holy Spirit drew me once into these beautiful words from Jesus that we are studying today. As I meditated richly on His heart, He invited me to soak for a while in His closeness. His words, “Simply join your life with Mine…” became deeply personal (Matt. 11:29, TPT). I responded. I had a long, pressing “To Do” list, but I set it aside. I lay down on my bed, and basked in that moment’s manifestation of oneness with Him. I wrapped myself up with Him, and He with me.
This was the result: that day, a little more than the day before, the unforced rhythms of grace were flowing through my being.
I am so grateful that His arms are always held open to us in this way. Do you see Him? Today, He continues to beckon us. So let our heart of hearts cry out to Him… Precious Jesus, when You call, let us always respond!
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At what moments in your life has your soul felt most deeply at rest?
Feeding On Jesus 