Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Yesterday, being ‘Labor Day,’ I did NO labor! And I’d like to say I feel pretty good about it! But I can’t… and I don’t really know why. The day was declared a national holiday back in 1888, designed to celebrate the working man’s contribution to the development of our great country. It is a day of rest… from working!

My wife and I lounged around the house. Well… I did. ‘She’ worked on all kinds of things. She called it ‘catching up!’ I read and napped! She was singing. I got lazier! By end of day, ‘she’ had a list of accomplishments, I had…. nothin! Our time had been free, and we were invited out to dinner. FREE! Somewhere along the conversational way someone said, ‘Ya know, God helps those who help themselves.’ And the guilt dagger stuck in my spirit… for about a second!

That Bible verse, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ gets quoted a LOT. Which isn’t good. Because it isn’t in the Bible! I don’t know who invented it, but I know it wasn’t God. It SOUNDS good because in a world of entitlement, people are increasingly not sheepish in expecting a hand out. The ratio of jobs to willing workers is a national tragedy. But when it comes to eternal Salvation and the Abundant life Jesus offers, ‘helping Him out’ only gets me into trouble.

The Word of God says that ‘the wages of sin is death. But the GIFT of God is eternal life. Romans 6:23. We can no more earn or deserve heaven than we can create a perfect world. While we know it, it is a very hard concept for any of us to totally accept. I keep getting this feeling like I need to ‘help out’ in some way. And THAT is where I get into trouble.

God does not need help. His love for me is so big, and my situation was so impossible, that only HE could pave the way for my restoration to Himself. I have to keep reminding myself that anything I try to ADD to His plan of salvation only scars the painting! And I have provided Him enough scars!

It is a fact that the hardest thing I do is to simply ‘REST’ in Christ’s completed work and TRUST Him. I find I have to constantly fight the urge to earn His benefits or to become deserving of His Grace. It is HARD to simply REST in Him. But that is EXACTLY what He asks of me. THANK YOU Lord for taking my burdens, and giving me rest!