Quitting Christianity

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   Matthew 11:28

The beautiful words of Jesus, spoken to a people who were tired of never measuring up, a people worn down with the weight of their own sin and failure.  A people who were exhausted from the wearisome labor of trying to be good enough.

Those words, “heavy laden” literally mean “to have a burden placed on you, or to load up like an animal.” Jesus was speaking to a people who had been burdened with religious requirements they could not meet, a law they could never keep, a righteousness they could never attain.

And He was talking to you and me.

We are loaded today with religious requirements.  We are told (not in words, but in actions), “You better keep the rules, you better measure up.  Otherwise we will question your salvation and load you up with guilt.” Pastors cannot share their failures, husbands can’t confess their sins, wives can’t confess their fears.  Why, because to do so can mean death to our position, our standing, our reputation.  And so we trudge along, weary and burdened, guilty and condemned.

“Come to me…”

You know the beautiful thing about those words?  Look them up in your concordance.  That phrase is an interjection, it should have an exclamation mark after it.  “Come to me! Come now!”

Jesus says, “I don’t care about their rules.  I don’t care about your failures.  I don’t care how much you have missed the mark.  If you are tired of trying to keep up, if you are weary with the burden of failed expectations and self-hatred, come to me!  Come now!  Don’t waste one more day in your guilt.  I won’t condemn you.  Come right now and find rest!”

It really is that easy!  Will you come?