Rest or Stumbling

September 21

(Psalm 116:7-9 NIV) “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. {8} For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, {9} that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.”

(John 11:9-10 NIV) “Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. {10} It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30 NIV) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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.”

God is so good to us. Even though we go astray, the Lord calls for us to come to Him. He wants to save us from death. He wants to deliver us from our frantic and exhausting search for meaning. He wants to dry our tears. He wants to give us rest for our souls. He wants us to really live. In the past, many of us were in the habit of “living it up”. But as we pursued “the good life”, we ended up having to “live it down”. That’s not the life God desires for us. That’s not the life Jesus died on the cross to ensure for the world He loves. Christ didn’t come so we could spend our life staggering around in the darkness. He came to deliver our feet from stumbling. He came so that we would be able to stand in His presence and walk before Him in the land of the living. So He says, “Come to me.” Have you? Will you? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day