Come, Oh, Come to Me

BY Rebecca Faires

Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:25-30, Jeremiah 31:7-13, Isaiah 11:6-10

When we had four kids under the age of four, my husband and I were both teaching at a local high school. Our whole life was babies and teenagers. The teenagers played football games on a field so close to our house that we could see the lights and hear the announcer from our bed. But because of the babies, we were always so tired on Friday nights that we couldn’t bear to schlepp all our children across the street to that game. So that’s where we enjoyed those football games—at home, in bed. The bright white stadium lights reflected off our glasses of water, and the play-by-play rattled our bottles of ibuprofen. We were so weary. We felt so old. But we were barely thirty.

There’s always something or someone ready to wear us out. It doesn’t matter how old you are, this old world is full of weariness. Usually it’s people whose behavior has changed abruptly, money that’s turned out to be missing, or the heartbreak of discovering your life isn’t at all what you expected it would be.

Whatever is making your heart weary today, know that you are not alone. Without exception, we all long for comfort and rest. And without exception, we are inclined to look for it in things that will ultimately leave us unfulfilled. True comfort from world weariness only comes from Christ. He is the only source of true rest.

In Matthew 11, Jesus promises rest for the soul to all who “come to Him” (vv.28–30). What an inviting promise! Just show up and you will find rest for you soul. But look at the lives of those who did come to Him: His disciples. They dropped everything, their fishing nets and fathers, and followed Jesus. Did they find rest for their souls? They witnessed miracles and even performed some themselves. They defended Jesus, and they denied Him. They saw up close the one true Messiah, and many of them died for their association with Him. Is this what “rest for your souls” looks like?

In a word, yes. The rest that Christ promises us is not a reprieve from the conflict and complication of the world. But His rest is a change of alignment that gives our souls rest, no matter what weariness is swirling around us.

If you are looking for all trouble to end, you will not find that here on earth. In this world, you will have trouble, but Christ gives us the ultimate promise that, “I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief” (Jeremiah 31:13). There will be so many weary days and so many happy days, but the underscore of all our days is His steady comfort and promise. All of this true rest is found only with the true Messiah, and He invites us, just as the words of this old hymn do—to ”Come, oh come to Me”… Linger then no longer.

Come, Oh, Come to Me
Text: Lizzie Akers, 1902
Tune: James M. Black, 1902

Weary burdened wand’rer,
there is rest for thee,
at the feet of Jesus,
in His love so free;
listen to His message,
words forever blest,
oh, thou heavy laden,
“Come to Me and rest.”

Refrain:
“Come, oh come to Me,
come, oh come to Me,”
Jesus now is waiting, calling
“Come, oh come to Me.”

Bring Him all thy burdens,
all thy guilt and sin,
mercy’s door is open,
rise and enter in.
Jesus there is waiting,
patiently for thee,
hear Him gently calling,
“Come, oh, come to Me.”    Refrain

Linger then no longer,
come just now to Him;
ere the shadows gather,
and thy light grows dim.
Thou hast long been waiting
for some better time,
but today He’s calling,
come and claim Him thine.    Refrain

He will bid thee welcome,
at the blessed cross,
turn to joy thy mourning,
turn to gold thy dross.
He will lead thee gently,
all along the way,
in the path that shineth,
unto perfect day.    Refrain