Mark Twain described normal life, “A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle for bread…the burden of pain, care, misery grows heavier year by year.”
Burdens of making a living, Burdens of anxiety because there is never enough to be secure, Burdens of sickness & death, Burdens of the boredom of the constant search for amusement, Burdens of the futility of it all in the face of death; these and more will obscure and mute the joys of life.
“Come unto me;” not, “believe my teaching” or “attend church,” but, “COME UNTO ME.” Many who call themselves Christians and do many good works fail to find the promised rest because they never answered the unreserved commitment, “COME!” One who believes and even teaches the exact truth may yet fail to place himself absolutely and only in Jesus’ hands.
Rest does not mean things in life suddenly start working out or health problems respond to prayer. Rest means there is a relationship so pure and good that these things no longer matter. We have a goal and a meaning to life while the world has nothing. We have a hope for something more than life while they have darkness.
If your life seems futile; if it feels like you can barely keep up with all the things and with all the problems, it may mean you should re-commit and, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.”
“Come” is not a “one and done” invitation. Paul still wrote to long time faithful Christians, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God." (Eph 4:17-19 sel.)
Despite all his accolades, Mark Twain died in the futility he described. Why should you?
The mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory: WHOM we proclaim (Col 1:26-27).
Keith Ward