When Jesus calls the exhausted and overloaded to himself, he is inviting us to rest inside his sanctuary of meekness. But there’s more to his invitation than finding a respite from chaos. Jesus is calling us, not just to shelter us, but to transform us into his image.
True discipleship is all about becoming like Jesus. So when Jesus says, “Come to me… I am meek…,” he specifically calls us to the core attribute that encompasses so many others. He is calling us to embrace and reflect his meekness. For Jesus is the Model of Meekness.
The call to follow his example of meekness hinges on two practical commands: “Come to me” and “Learn from me.” For the next few blogs, we will consider the first command.
Jesus’ call to come to him is rooted in the soil of the Old Testament prophets. It is the updated version of their ancient but essential message. When Jesus beckons us to “come” to him, like the prophets before him, he is summoning us to repent.
But remember: repentance in God’s Kingdom is not only a turning away from sin. It is a turning to God. True repentance does more than forsake old ways and start some new ones. Repentance very specifically embraces God and his ways. It trades self-centered living for the Lord himself – knowing him, learning from him, and obeying him.
More on this tomorrow…