Matthew 11:25-30

Posted by DJL on Jul 25, 2014 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 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 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.”

There is something so difficult for most of us in this passage that it’s easy to gloss over. But here it is: God doesn’t choose to reveal the kingdom to the smart or the powerful or the accomplished or the successful or the important. God instead chooses the weak, the young, the vulnerable, and all those Jesus here calls infants.

All of which sounds fine on the surface, even quite appropriate as something we would expect Jesus to say. Until it gets personal and we are forced to ask which group – strong or weak, important or unimportant, powerful or vulnerable – with which we identify. Or maybe which group with which we want to identify.

Are we willing to imagine that we are infants, those utterly vulnerable and dependent on God for all things? There are times, of course, when that realization is unavoidable – when brought low by the loss of work, or health, or a loved one, or a future. But day to day, most of us – and definitely myself included – try to avoid any sense of vulnerability and instead try to secure for ourselves and our loved ones a future that is secure, safe, and stable.

When I think of it this way, it suddenly seems so hard to be a disciple that it almost feels out of reach and I’m ready to give up. And then I hear the other part of Jesus’ words – that he invites all of us to come, whether we are aware of our vulnerability and need or not. Because, the thing is, we all carry heavy burdens. It’s just that it’s only when we realize it that Jesus’ invitation makes any sense and suddenly is no longer hard but easy, even welcome.

Prayer: Dear God, let us not hide from our sorrows, burdens, and vulnerability but instead bring them to you, trusting that you continue to welcome all of us into your gracious embrace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.