Wisdom from Winston

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   As I sit in my office at the church, almost every day I have my five-year-old golden retriever, Winston, next to me. Most often he is sleeping within arms reach, but whenever I move or get up, he perks up and looks at me as if to say, "What's going on? Are we going somewhere?" If I go to the church office, he's right there. If I'm standing around talking to someone, he's sitting on my foot. Regardless of where I go, he is never far away. Although he likes nearly everyone he meets, he wants to be by my side more than anywhere else. If he's ever anxious, he looks to me, and I scratch him on the head or pet his soft coat to let him know everything is fine.

   Matthew 11:25-30 says, "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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."

   Life is filled with busyness, with activities that drain us of our energy and sap us of our strength. These things are not always bad or difficult things. Sometimes they are good and delightful things. Still they leave us feeling weary and fatigued. Often this can be because we look to our own resources, and we focus on our own strength. We mistake busyness for productivity, and we fill our calendars with so much stuff that we forget to make time to rest.

   Jesus says that the simple see the benefit of rest. He is in control of all things because the Father has given everything into His hands. When we know the Son, we know the Father, who is sovereign over all. We can come to Christ for rest because He knows all things and is in control of all things. The closer we are to Christ, the more we look to Him, the less reason we have to be anxious and the more reason we have to rest.

   So take a lesson from Winston. Draw near to your Master, and rest.