That's how Pastor Obed opened his sermon last night. He then proceeded to talk about work and rest, and how Jesus invites us to rest in him. "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest," he says in Matthew 11:28.
Talking about rest in church on a day celebrating workers was good. I didn't feel a particular need for rest. I mean yes, I'm tired, but not abnormally. I think about the deep weariness and desolation I felt last year, and I think that I'm pretty well-balanced. Does that mean that I've taken Jesus' yoke upon me, or just that I'm ignoring my true emotions? Probably a little of both.
Again, it's paradoxical that Jesus offers rest by putting his burden on us. On the other hand, his yoke is way easier than the yoke I put on myself. When I need to be in control, directing things, being efficient, getting things done, I get tired because I'm not relying on God. I want to do things my way, and I think they won't get done if I don't do them properly. Not true.
28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”After the sermon, we had a time of prayer together as a church. Because it was a holiday, and usually Thursday night services are not full anyway, there were a maximum of 20 people there. We gathered around the front of the church together, praying for rest. Giving our burdens to Jesus and asking for his yoke instead.
I love going to this church, Promise Christian Community. It's a church plant that's only about 4 years old. I get to be just one of the congregants there, not a missionary or someone who expected to do extraordinary things. People are honest in their worship, and the pastors preach from passages in context, not pulling random verses from all of the Bible to prove a point. Last night, as we prayed together, I was reminded of the importance of worshiping with a group of people.
I didn't feel particularly in need of rest, but I was reminded that some people are. One woman knelt on the floor, hands spread apart, and wept. The pianist continued to hit chords while kneeling down and weeping. I heard people speaking in tongues occasionally, something like "ah - baba- yaba - ahaaa." One woman in the congregation starts singing opera notes when she's praying very emotionally. I smiled to see a two year old girl copying her mother, both kneeling with their heads resting on their hands on the floor. Another woman was smiling, lifting her hands and swaying with her eyes fixed on the ceiling. A man behind me shouted phrases of thanksgiving. A young man occasionally shot up his hands in the air while he prayed. Someone next to me opened his arms wide. All of these expressions of emotions in worship remind me that God is bigger than my comfort zone. He speaks to us in different ways, and he accepts the variety of our expressions of prayer to him.
Promise is a place where people can come to Jesus, and he accepts them. No matter how we dress, how we pray, how we sing, we come before the one who carries our burdens. He gives us purpose. And when we do it together, I think our praise is all the more rich for the variety we demonstrate. With Jesus, we find rest for our souls.
Me with the pastoral family from Promesa and a woman from a team that visited.
The outside of Promesa (Promise)
The entrance to the worship area
The area where we worship. We all gathered around the front where the flowers are last night.
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