Weekly Manna for Memory
Matt. 11:28-30
“‘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.'”
Manna Snack
Let’s read the passage prior to the Weekly Manna verse, Matthew 11:20-27:
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ‘Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.’
At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
It is truly amazing that God chose to personally reveal things about Himself to us through His Son and now His Spirit! God is God. He can run this world how He wants to. But He chooses to be so personal and so kind and caring and full of grace and forgiveness even as we ignore and rebel against Him!
In this passage, Jesus is denouncing those cities which, although He preached and performed miracles in them, did not repent. Then He goes on to praise God the Father that He has allowed for us to learn about Himself by the revelation that Jesus imparts to us. This is followed by the invitation in our Weekly Manna verse, “’Come to me…’”.
We are invited to know the God of the Universe, through His Son, on a very intimate level. And in so knowing, are promised rest for our souls. In fact, it is ONLY in knowing God that we find true rest for our souls.
So let us not pass up this invitation like the cities in this passage did. We know of Christ’s invitation, we know of His divinity and His death and resurrection for us. And now we know that it is only through Him that we can know God the Father, “Lord of heaven and earth,” which is even difficult for the wise people of the world to grasp.
Let’s come humbly, like children, to get to know Jesus and God the Father so that we recognize Who He is when He works in our life, when He does miracles. It is God’s “pleasure” to reveal things to us, so let’s get serious about taking Him up on His offer. We have so much to lose if we don’t, and only good to gain if we do. It is as we grow in relationship with Him that we can come and exchange our yoke for His and find true rest for our souls.
Lord Jesus, you are the revelation of God the Father to this world. You want to give us rest for our souls as we grow to know You and exchange our yoke for Yours. Jesus, I don’t want to miss any opportunity to learn from You. Please grow in me the self-discipline to walk with You daily, to learn from You often, so that I can grow closer to my heavenly Father. Thank You for the work You do in my life. Help me to recognize Your love and Your miracles. And thank you so much for choosing to have such an intimate relationship with Your creation. You truly are a mighty and gracious God. Amen.
Meal of Manna
I challenge you to actually crack open a physical Bible with me today 😉 . I know some of you use your physical Bibles anyway, but I’m guessing others of you are reading this on your phone or sitting at your computer. I will link to the passage, but I do challenge you to actually go and open your Bible today. I just think there is something more intimate about God’s words to us when we have His physical Word in our hands.
But if it doesn’t work for you to use a physical Bible, here is a link for Psalm 145.
As you read Psalm 145 in its entirety, take some time to pray it back to God personally, whether you simply meditate on it or write it out in your journal.
As you read each verse, consider how it might apply to you personally. For example, consider how God has been faithful in your family or how you can “commend His works” to the next generation. What are some promises the Lord has been faithful to fulfill in your life? How has He been loving? How can you “speak in praise of the Lord”? Etc.
Record what comes to mind and praise God for the personal way He has chosen to connect with each of us, His creation. If there are any action steps He shows you, then commit to doing them.
Take-Away for Today
It is in drawing near to Jesus that we deepen our relationship with God the Father as well and ultimately find rest. Commit to doing one thing today to draw closer to Jesus. Perhaps it’s spending extra time with Him or tuning the radio to a Christian station instead of secular so you can praise Him through music. Or maybe it’s proclaiming His faithfulness to the next generation or crying out to Him about some situation you’ve been bottling up. He longs to be intimate with His creation. Let’s draw closer to Him in some new way today.
