Welcome! Come, Sit with Me, Jesus

How exciting to be invited! To be welcomed and wanted. How did you respond when you opened that e-vite to your friend’s birthday party or saw your name on the ‘team selected’? How about when you walked into your school’s lunchroom a few minutes late and the entire table—YES, EVERYone—was waving you over… pointing to that ‘saved’ empty seat? They even made a sign with ‘your’ name on it!  Brace yourself…you might want to sit on the floor! Read this text! Listen to this invite!

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”.

Matthew 11:28-30 ICB  “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. I will give you rest.  29 Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls. 30 The work that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is not heavy.”

Matthew 11:28-30 Msg ”Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Our beloved CHRIST, Savior of the world, Son of GOD; The King of all kings! Miracle Worker, Healer, Water Walker; died and raised from the dead ‘woos’ and welcomes us with HIS invitation … ALL who are weary; overwhelmed; worn out; frazzled; frustrated; desperate to “come to ME [JESUS]; come away/sit a while with Me and FIND rest for your soul”! Trade all ‘that’ for Who I am! Who am I? I am Who I AM-your PEACE! JOY! REST!

Most of us are always so busy ‘doing’ that we hardly have time for ‘being’! What night is it—soccer practice? No, that’s tomorrow. Scouts tonight…wait, I’ll have to miss it because of a special children’s choir rehearsal for the weekend church banquet! Ahh, I feel so sleepy and sick.  GOD created human ‘beings’-not human ‘doings’! Those who desire to know, love, and worship Him. One of the many ways we get to know HIM (and others) is to be with Him (them). Do you find it a challenge to sit quietly with others? Alone?

Are you playing a game on your devices, sending text messages to someone just a room away or must you be talking faster and louder than the one you are with at any given moment?

God wants time with us because He loves us! He knows that His very Presence fills us with smiles…that is how He amazingly and wonderfully made us.

Practice the discipline of just sitting in silence with Him daily. Time yourself. How many minutes was your ‘quiet sitting’? Chart it and increase it by 5 minutes the next day. Let us know at the end of the week, your longest amount of intentionally focused, being still time with The LORD!

Prayer

Dear LORD, thank You for choosing to be with me and wanting me to be with You. Your invitation is just what I need. I want to slow down and do less! I know Your help is also needed to concentrate on being still and knowing that You are God. Thanks for loving me that much. I do have to study for my math quiz…not before I read and think Your Word though. I love You, LORD, and am so happy YOU love me more! Amen

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©2024 Penelope White Use with author’s permission. Send requests to penywhite@hotmail.com

Penelope Allen White is a wife, mother of two young adult sons, and grandmother. Her passion is for all children and people to have an intimate knowledge of God. She works as a Christian educator, speaker, church school curriculum writer and teacher, workshop facilitator, middle school counselor, and neighborhood tutor. Despite her busy schedule, she still finds time to enjoy a game of hopscotch!