At the start of a New Year you may have heard many reflections about the year ahead and new beginnings; you may even have given some yourself.
Some of us begin 2022 feeling weary and in search of a way out of this pandemic. Many continue the search for God in their lives. My prayer for you at the start of 2022 is that you will be strengthened by God’s Spirit in all you hope to be, that you will be filled with the knowledge of God’s love and that you experience the peace God the Son has brought to us.
I often talk about journeying together, seeking God at work in our lives and how we can be a part of His mission. The theme of journeying is present throughout the Biblical narrative with many accounts of different journeys being taken. This is very much the case in the account of Jesus’ life as he both led and leads others.
As we step forward on the journey set before us, we can be confident that we go with Christ. We are reminded in Matthew 11 that as we journey together, we are invited to be yoked to Christ, ‘for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.’
Many of us carry too many burdens, whether its sin, excessive demands from others, depression and anxiety or weariness in search of God. Well, here is Good News for those seeking a new way. Jesus frees people from all these burdens. The rest that Jesus promises is love, healing and peace with God, but not the end of all labour. That’s because there is still a work to do.
A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose. We have a great teacher, Jesus Christ, who partners with us in life’s responsibilities, enabling us to be all that we are called to be and do.
Jesus said ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30).
Jesus doesn’t offer a life of luxury; the yoke is still a tool that enables the oxen to work hard. But it is a shared yoke, with weight falling on bigger shoulders than ours. Someone with more pulling power is up front helping.
So don’t be afraid, do not think that you are in this alone. Let go and let God, see that He will do a new thing in your life when you earnestly seek Him. Move away from doors that will not open and do not hesitate to go through those that are opened to you. For there, we will find God at work, we will be fruitful and we will see God’s Kingdom grow throughout our community.
Grace and peace to you all in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
 | David Skeet is our church team leader. Taken from the latest edition of our bi-monthly church newsletter. |