Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

The scripture passage today is one that I return to often in prayer: “Come to me…”

There is such tenderness in these words of Jesus. They meet me exactly where I am. Come to me. Not when I am strong. Not when I have everything figured out. Not when life feels manageable. But now, in the very place where I am weary, hurting, stretched, or grieving.

When I hear Jesus say, “Come to me,” I hear an invitation to bring all of it: my pain, my grief, my confusion, my heaviness. Nothing is too much for Him. Nothing is unwelcome. Nothing needs to be hidden or made presentable before I approach.

This is how I navigate the sometimes harsh world we live in, by returning to Jesus again and again, carrying everything I cannot carry alone. And every time I come, I am met with love. Not judgment. Not pressure. Not demands. Just love.

In this place of encounter, Jesus becomes the light the world cannot give, a light that steadies me, warms me, and reminds me who I am. He becomes the peace that settles my spirit, the joy that rises quietly within me, the strength that helps me stand and walk into the day.

To take His yoke is not to take on more responsibility; it is to enter into relationship, with Him. It is to walk beside the One who is “gentle and humble of heart.” His yoke is easy because He carries the weight with us. His burden is light because we no longer walk alone.

When I come to Him, I do not leave unchanged. I walk away more grounded, more peaceful, more held. Not because my circumstances have suddenly changed, but because I have been with Him.

What does Jesus’ invitation, “Come to me,” stir within you today?