The King is kind! Having pronounced judgement on the unrepentant towns, Jesus turned His attention to the many people who were eager to welcome Him - but might have doubted if He really wanted them. But He did not advertise Himself to the wealthy, rulers or religious leaders; instead He wanted weary and broken people to find refuge in Him, and a new start in His kingdom.
 
In contrast to the religious leaders who were asserting their 'holiness' on the basis of the good things they had done and were encouraging others to follow their example in order to win God's favour, Jesus simply invited weak people to come to Him. He gave them no preliminary instruction but promised that all who came to Him would never be turned away, they would be received as honoured guests and then learn a new way of living.
 
Rest comes first in God's economy, and after that people are ready for work. (In Hebrew thought, a day starts in the evening - as in the creation account.) So rest is essential before anything can be done. That much needed rest of heart and soul is found in Christ alone. After that, comes the apprenticeship. We learn to work with Jesus in the same way that a younger animal is yoked to the plough alongside a stronger and more experienced ox. Yet He does not pull us along, nor does He let us run ahead of Him. His powerful humility allows us to be productive without being stressed. He knows how to train His disciples kindly.
 
Although most of this world is obsessed with achievement through effort, it will only lead to a weary and burdened soul. It is not that hard work is wrong and should be avoided, far from it; but to do it in our own strength will result in collapse. That is why we still need to obey Jesus' command to come to Him and relearn how to work ... alongside Jesus and at His pace. With Him, resting is safe and working is sustainable. So come to Him again today; and invite your colleagues to do the same.