The Burden of Peace

Everyone is stressed out. Strangely enough our hectic lives seem to get even more hectic as we drive by brightly illuminated signs that say, “Peace on Earth.”

Although the world makes an annual nod toward the arrival of the Messiah, no one seems to think about the true implications of His time here. He came to establish peace between God and man, providing a way to remove our sins.

He also came to bring peace on earth inside your head. Here’s the arrangement: “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” (Matthew 11:29-30). If you want rest for your soul—if you want peace on earth for your soul, you must be willing to take on His yoke. And that means far more than saying you believe in Jesus. It means living like Jesus—for real.

No matter what, you will be carrying a burden. For most, once a year, they will catch a fleeting glimpse of the possibilities of Jesus and then return to the burden of their lives lived in opposition to Him. A burden that gets heavier every day.

Jesus offers another burden. The burden of obeying God instead of self-destructive desires. The burden of making decisions with your eyes open. It is so much easier to carry—all year long.

- Bret