“Jesus is My Place of Rest” 

By:   Pastor Milton Coats

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Monday, September 4^th is Labor Day.  It’s a federal holiday that’s observed every first Monday in September.  President Grover Cleveland signed the law in 1894 that congress passed designating it as such.

The word labor means to work, so it seems a little odd to call a national holiday “work day.”  The day is actually meant to be a break or a rest from one’s work.  It is important to take a break from work for our physical, mental and emotional well-being.  Labor Day is also to be a day in which we acknowledge and honor those in the workforce and their contribution.  Work is important and so is rest.

God himself has a Labor Day.  Genesis 2:2, 3 says “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made”.  God rested not because He was tired, but because he was establishing a principle in the life of his people.  It is important to set aside a weekly Labor Day for physical and emotional rejuvenation.  During that time, we should remember the Lord and give thanks for His goodness and provision in our lives.

Beyond that as Christians, we know we find our ultimate rest not in a day, but in a person, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”.  In verse 28, the rest that’s spoken of is a salvation rest.  We find a salvation rest when we come to Christ by faith.  Romans 5:1 says “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”.  Israel experienced salvation rest when they came out of Egypt.  In verse 29, rest is mentioned again, but this is submission rest.  We find this rest by obeying God by faith and surrendering to His will.  It was not God’s will to just bring Israel out of Egypt (Salvation).  It was his desire to bring them into Caanan land (Promise Land Living).

Child of God, Jesus’ yoke is easy and He is our place of rest.