Rest Is a Gift
God made us to rest, and Jesus invites us to come to Him when we're tired. A family devotional on Matthew 11:28.
This week's verse
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Read together
Rest is a gift
Did you know rest was God's idea? When God made the world, He worked for six days, and on the seventh day He rested. God wasn't tired. He was showing us that rest is good and that it's part of how He made us.
Our bodies need sleep. Our minds need quiet. And our hearts need time with Jesus. When we skip rest, we get grumpy, worn out and stressed. (Parents know this one too!)
Jesus says, "Come to me, and I will give you rest." The best kind of rest isn't just a nap. It's resting in Jesus: trusting Him, talking with Him, and remembering that He loves us even when we haven't finished everything on our list.
Rest can look like an early bedtime, a slow Sunday afternoon, a walk outside, or a quiet prayer before sleep. God invites your whole family to enjoy it.
Talk about it
Questions for your family
1
How do you feel when you haven't gotten enough rest? How about when you have?
2
What's your favorite way to rest and recharge? How could you include Jesus in it?
3
Parents: what does resting in Jesus look like for you when life feels heavy?
This week
Keep it going
Pray together
At bedtime, thank God for one good thing from the day, then hand Him anything that feels heavy. Ask Him for peaceful sleep.
Family rest challenge
Plan one family rest time this week: no screens, no rushing, just time together. Memorize Matthew 11:28 together by Sunday!
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
