Finding Rest and Re-Creation

Grace, mercy and peace to you in the name of Jesus – Amen!
         
Rest – Refreshment – Comfort – Things we all need. This is the time of year when people hope to get some sort of re-creation.  We hope to slow down a little – to play – to have more time, here in the summer, to refresh ourselves and the people around us.
         
This is the time of year when we take a trip, if we can afford one. Relax a little at home, if we can. Most of us are tired… just think about the tumultuous spring we’ve had – did someone say, “smoke city 2023.”  We need a break… we need to lighten the load we carry.
         
I think that this is exactly what Jesus is calling us to do in today’s gospel: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” V. 28 “Come onto me…” Jesus says – and we know these words… for these words are grafted deep into our DNA.
         
One of my favorite verses in scripture – I treasure these words ranked up there with John 3:16 or the 23rd Psalm or any other favorite Bible verse that you memorize.  These words are great but more than that, these words are real – true… for you and me.
         
You see, in this verse, Jesus is offering us an invitation – an intimate and appealing invitation. His invitation is this: “Come to me, all that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
         
I pray that you would find comfort in the words, “come to me.” Jesus is asking us to come to him because he knows that you are tired and he wants to offer us rest. Jesus wants us to come because he cares for us. This is a personal and intimate invitation from Jesus for us to come to him – into God’s presence and find rest. Amen

With "cool" blessings,

The Rev. Romeo K. Dabee
JFK Airport Community MInister/Chaplain