“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 NIV
An Invitation
Sometimes, when we invite one of our global ministry partners to visit us in Canada, Immigration Canada asks us to send a letter of invitation as part of the visa application process. A letter of invitation doesn’t guarantee that the Canadian government will issue a visa. Visa officers assess the applicant to decide whether they meet the terms of Canada’s immigration law. Anyone asked to write such a letter of invitation isn’t legally responsible for the visitor once they enter Canada.
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Life can be tiring. The pace of life is busier than ever and if your family is like mine, kids are busy with school, sports, music lessons, and a dozen other organized activities. Us older adults are keeping busy with things like work, travel, family responsibilities, and hobbies. We often fall into bed at the end of the day, exhausted, having given Jesus so little time, if any at all. This is why our faith is often so weak, and we miss out on one of the greatest invitations Jesus gives to His people. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “’Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’” Don’t miss this opportunity. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired. We often read that He went out onto a lake in a boat, or up into a mountain to spend time with His Heavenly Father. He knows what it’s like to be weary and He invites us to come to Him, with our cares and our busy-ness. When we spend time with Him, we will find the burdens lifted and the exhaustion replaced with His abundant rest.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley