What the Bible says
The invitation is from Christ Himself: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He does not say come to a place or a plan, but come unto me. And He describes Himself: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). The yoke of Christ is “easy,” and His burden is “light” (Matthew 11:30).
We grow tired, but God does not. “The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary” (Isaiah 40:28). And He shares His strength: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength” (Isaiah 40:29). The promise is for those who wait on Him: “they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
The deepest rest is rest from trying to earn God’s favour. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works” (Hebrews 4:9–10). On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The work of salvation is done. So God says, “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
God also cares for the rest of the body. Jesus told His busy disciples, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). Sleep is His gift: “for so he giveth his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2). David could say, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). The Shepherd still “maketh me to lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2).
14 verses, King James Version
Isaiah 40:29–31
Strength renewed for those who wait
29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Psalms 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God
10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Isaiah 30:15
In returning and rest shall ye be saved
15For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
Psalms 116:7
Return unto thy rest, O my soul
7Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
Matthew 11:28–30
Jesus gives rest
28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Isaiah 40:28
God never grows tired
28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
Psalms 23:1–3
The Shepherd leads you to rest
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Mark 6:30–32
Jesus told His tired disciples to rest
30And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
Exodus 33:14
His presence and His rest
14And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Psalms 127:2
Sleep is His gift
2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Psalms 4:8
Sleep safely in His care
8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Galatians 6:9
Do not give up doing good
9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Jeremiah 31:25
He satisfies the worn-out soul
25For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
Hebrews 4:9–10
The rest that remains for God’s people
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). Read aloud by Anthony.