Tired and Weary

Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

In Matthew 11, Jesus denounces the cities that saw His miracles being performed and still chose to not repent from their wicked ways. He goes as far to say in verse 24, “But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” Jesus had quite harsh words for the people that chose to not repent and continue to live in sin.
Jesus then explains that the wisdom and understanding of God has been hidden from these people and given to the little children. The true identity of Christ has been revealed to only those that the Father has chosen. Not all people will choose to repent from their wicked ways even if they experience the mighty works of God. Not all people will know the true identity of Christ as the Son of God.
            I have become more and more weary preaching to a world that so desperately wants to be their own savior. On one hand, they know that there is brokenness in the world (and therefore there is a longing for a savior), and on the other, they believe that human actions can bring them out of their own brokenness. At the heart of my weariness is the understanding that people cannot fix the situation, including myself. I have learned through ministry, that no matter how hard I work, no matter how passionately I preach, that nothing on this earth can fix the problems that are so readily visible in our society. The cynic in me wants to give up.
            But Christ holds the answer. He has carried the ultimate burden of our brokenness, and He has defeated the grave. It is no longer about our actions to bring restoration to a broken world. We instead, like little children, trust that our Father has already brought to completion the redemptive plan He knew before we were even created. Jesus says “come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Our souls will find rest in Christ alone. Our job is not to create salvation, but to accept it and live in it.
            The world wants us to bicker and argue with one another. Who has the best ideas and the best solutions to the worlds problems? Who should we follow?
            The answer for Christians is simple; Christ alone, and He is the only one whom we follow. All those who are weary and heavy burden, the answer is found in clinging onto Christ and He will give us rest.