Come To Me 
Are you weary?
Burdened beyond words?
Rest is found in Him.
In Him alone.
Freely, generously without question.
I can learn from Him.
He is my Teacher; I am the student;
ever learning,
ever failing,
then ever learning some more.
He is gentle,
humble in heart.
Sweet, blessed, essential
Rest is found in Him.
He can satisfy my longing soul
and fill an empty heart.
thoughts taken from Matthew 11:28-29
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Are you dealing with a tough decision today? Know that the God of all ages sees, hears, and knows your every struggle.
He knows when you’re happy, sad, glad, or angry. God longs for you to tell Him your doubts and to share your pain. Confide in Him, my friend. You won’t regret it.
“And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”—Matthew 28:20.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
These words are taken from the Sermon on the Mount (also known as the Beatitudes). Jesus is speaking to his disciples about troubles they will encounter when they seek to live out traits which contradict society. Being a follower of Jesus was both popular and odd.
In this life, too, there will be sadness and mourning. The above verse gives me permission to mourn. Mourning is expected and encouraged. Life doesn’t always go the way I want it to go. Spouses and children make bad choices affecting family deeply. Boating accidents, drowning, and random shootings saturate the daily news. It’s no surprise wives and children wake in the middle of the night in tears. Merely waking and dressing for the day can seem laborious.
Good to know there is a remedy. I read in 2 Corinthians, chapter 1 “Praise be to the God…the Father of compassion and the God all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles…,” Isn’t it refreshing to realize there is a God who understands, cares, and wants to kiss away our wounds?
But, wait, there’s a two-fold reward. God comforts us in times of distress and pain “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Even the comfort we receive from God does not stop with me, but multiplies itself as I, in turn, am able to give to another that same healing balm.
I remember having lunch with a new friend just after my Mom died. Joyce’s mother died years before, yet her transparency and empathy for me calmed my soul. You see, she understood. When someone experiences death of a loved one, I am able to put myself in their place.
If I could figure this sadness out all by myself, then God and his people wouldn’t be needed. That’s why the God of all comfort is readily available day or night. I just need to ask.
“But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God” (2 Corinthians 1:9).
***
Blessing #93: delightful day of tubing, boating and picnicking on the Mississippi River. Family times with son and family.
Blessing #94: squeals of laughter from our grandchildren as we motor fast in dad’s new speed boat.
I’ve always LOVED to color, so when my grandchildren, Liberty or Elijah, ask me to color, I jump at the chance. Why is it adults feel they need to be coloring with a child? Why can’t I break out the colors any day of the week and just color on my own? This past weekend while visiting our children in Minnesota, I colored. First with one, then the other grandchild. And I enjoyed every minute of it.
We played dominoes and an old-time favorite, Memory Game. Before we began, I said to Liberty that she’d have to remind me how to play the game. Here’s her explanation:
“Basically, Nana, this is how I play…”
I cracked up at her choice of the word, basically. Last year, her favorite word was actually. She very patiently went through the rules of how to match the proper Mommy animal to her baby animal. Maybe she’ll be a teacher someday, who knows? I know for a fact that her Grandpa is a patient, methodical teacher who taught me to ride a bike with speed, roller blade, water ski, drive a boat, sail—among other things.
“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2–4).
***