Devotions

Jesus is the Best

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 

These comforting words from Jesus I could just say again, and again, and again. In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s important that we take some time to reflect on these words from our Savior. It stands out to me that Jesus knows about all that we are carrying. Jesus knows we get weary from our heavy burdens. Jesus knows we need rest to replenish our spirit. Jesus knows that are many other places and things in this world we could seek out when we get weary or when we need rest. And I know that Jesus is the best thing, the best one, for us in this journey called life.  

 I am reminded of a Gospel song I like to listen to on one of my playlists. This song, “You’re the Best Thing that Ever Happened,” by Rev. James Cleveland proclaims these words:  

 “I've had my share of life's ups and downs 
God's been good to me, and the downs have been few 
I would guess you can say, God has blessed me 
But there's never been a time in my life, he didn't bring me through  

If anyone should ever write, my life story 
For whatever reason there might be 
You'd be there, between each line of pain and glory 
Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me!”  

 Those words almost preach themselves. In the midst of our burdens, and in the midst of all weariness, we have a Savior who continually invites us to come… Come rest with Jesus. Come lean on Jesus. Come give your pain to Jesus. Come share your joy with Jesus. Come live your life with Jesus by your side. Jesus will bring you through. Jesus is the best! 

The Promises of Faith

“…let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 

What does “having faith” look like? Our faith begins with hope and a desire to become better. It is an awareness of someone who is greater than us and a promise that this someone will make things better. However, without our faith, we struggle to make sense of our world and become confused, anxious, and frustrated. 

Faith involves the act of anticipation and moving forward towards a clear and promising future. According to Dutch theologian and philosopher Kierkegaard, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward.” This fact is how we must live and how our faith propels us. Without faith, our life leaves us pondering, not knowing where we are heading, what is coming, and what the future will bring. Faith leads us to believe that God has plans for our future which gives our life a sense of purpose and destiny. 

We look to many men and women of faith who have run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Martin Luther, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Catherine Booth, Sojourner Truth, and Mother Theresa are all martyrs of faith. They challenge us to be steadfast in our faith against all odds. In all things, we need only to look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. We can find strength in him, and he can empower us to live our lives filled with hope and faith. 

We live today in unfamiliar circumstances. We long for answers to questions that plague our hearts and minds. Although we may experience periods of worry and fear, we must cling to our faith in the one triune God. We can trust and believe in the wonderful promise of living an everlasting life in him.