The Blessings and Rewards of Rest
Conditions are stipulations that must be met, commands I must obey, or requirements to obtain the blessings and rewards I seek.
Now, this is not to say that God always has stipulations or things I must do before I can be blessed.
I'm only saying that according to Matthew 11:28-29, there are several conditions that must be met to enjoy and receive the blessings and rewards of REST.
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Come to Christ – You cannot receive true REST unless you come to Christ and give Him your concerns, anxieties, cares and heavy burdens.
Accept His Yoke – This involves being "born again" and receiving LIFE into your spirit. To accept Christ's yoke you must bond and join with Him by accepting His free gift of salvation. Have you come to a place in your life where you've placed your trust, once and for all, in the work of Christ on the cross to pay for your sins; and have joined with Him and received new eternal life in your spirit? If not, now is the time.
Let Christ Teach You – He promises to show you how to rest effortlessly and lightly-no more forced labor or self-efforts to try to get REST your own way-just the unforced rhythms of Christ's grace. That's all you will need. There's really not much you have to do…only learn from Him and follow His ways instead of your own.
Rewards
According to The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, the meaning of REST in these verses describes the following blessings and rewards that result from meeting the conditions discussed previously.
I've written them in the first person so that they are set in my mind and soul. Feel free to do the same.
I will learn to live freely and lightly.
I will be refreshed, replenished, and will recover my strength when I turn over my work and activities to Christ.
My soul (mind, will, emotions) will be re-energized, restored and brought back into communion and fellowship with God.
I will be able to wait in quiet, calm and patient expectation for Christ to act in my life; instead of trying to fix things or make them happen on my own.
Now, this is truly REST indeed. My journey to meet the conditions has started. I've already met #1-Come to Christ and #2-Accept His Yoke. #3-Let Christ Teach You, is where I'm going to focus as I move forward in my quest for REST.
I've finally found it and am not going to let it go!
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