The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“For I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29c).

When the Lord Jesus said this of Himself, He actually meant that He was gentle, gracious, and without arrogance. There was nothing in Him that was sinful or selfish. He calls on His followers to take His yoke upon themselves and learn of Him. As we do this, we are so impressed with His presence that we want these characteristics to be evident in our lives as well. Gentleness, graciousness, and being without arrogance are wonderful ways for people to see the Lord working in our lives.

For today: May Christ be seen in the way we live in this world today.

“Learn of me” (Matthew 11:29b).

For the last several days we have been thinking about our Lord’s marvelous teaching. We are so blessed. For those of us who know the Lord Jesus, our lives are graced with His presence. We long to know more about His Word, more about His plan, and more about Him personally. That’s what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). Take time to be in the Word of God today. Talk with the Lord. Think about what you have read. Apply it to your life. Get to know the Lord in a deeper and blessed way.

For today: In the good times as well as the hard times, you can ask the Lord to help you to get to know Him better. The Lord will be pleased, and you will be glad you did.

“Take my yoke upon you” (Matthew 11:29a).

The yoke is an expression that we in the United States know very little about. Years ago Karen and I were in the Philippines for several weeks. I was preaching in conferences for missionaries, local churches and a Bible college. On one of our trips, we witnessed an impressive sight. A Filipino farmer was driving two huge water buffalo. They were harnessed together by a large wooden yoke. This kept them in pace with each other and going in the same direction. When the Lord Jesus talks about “My yoke,” He is sharing with us His blessed intention. He not only wants us to come to Him; He desires to direct our lives. I am so glad that I am not in charge of my life. Gladly I get in the yoke with Him daily as I trust His wisdom and direction for my life.

For Today: There is no better place to be than in the yoke with the Lord Jesus! Enjoy the pace He sets for your life today.

“Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28a).

Over the next several days, we are going to consider four things from Matthew 11:28-29. In this text, the Lord Jesus is involved in a great ministry of preaching and teaching. Listen once again to His amazing invitation as He says, “Come unto me.” The word “come” is found 1,972 times in the Bible. Here the idea of coming to Christ is just what Paul the Apostle said in 1 Thessalonians 1:9, “How you turned to God from idols.” We didn’t clean ourselves up and then turn to Christ. We came just as we were, helpless, hopeless, and lost. He was ready to redeem and receive us. What a wonderful Savior to Whom we belong!

For today: Rejoice that Christ says, “Come.” We come once for salvation but many times for prayer and worship because He is our Lord. Come often today!

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

There are many things in life that can cause us to be afraid. Things ranging from hearing a funny noise in the night to health concerns for someone we love. These bring about a wide range of fears and concerns. We are not robots that respond to situations without feelings. We also do not live in denial, pretending all is well when things are not. Even better than denial and pretending all is well is the quiet assurance that God is just Who He says He is. He is our salvation, strength, and even our song through the experiences that could cause us to fear. This is the blessing I want to experience every day. How about you?

For today: For the believer, it is wonderful to know that no matter what comes into my life today, He is my God and my Salvation who gives me strength and even a song in the most difficult of days.