Learning of Him, Pt. 1

So we see that the first step toward rest is simply accepting His invitation to come. And the second step, and possibly the most difficult yet rewarding step, is to learn of Him.

Yes, Jesus wants to give our hearts rest. Yes, He wants to calm our anxiety and help us with the task He has entrusted to us. Thankfully, He does not beat around the bush, but tells us exactly how He will give us rest, peace, and success in this Christian life. And these truths align so seamlessly with the calling of motherhood.

I can just imagine when Jesus spoke this invitation to the crowd of weary people those many centuries ago. I can see Him drawing their attention to the farmer’s field being plowed by two yoked oxen, speaking these words of comfort. He made it abundantly clear that He wants to be yoked, or connected, together with each one of us who are trudging along in intensive labor. Good labor. Labor that isn’t frivolous or vain. Labor that has eternal ramifications.

Jesus understands just how critical a mother’s role is in the next generation. He knows the weight of it and is offering to bear the weight with you. But we must do things His way and not our own. We must not allow anyone or anything to take His rightful place under the yoke.

In full transparency, this is way easier said than done. How many times have I leaned more on my husband, my own understanding or upbringing, and even the so-called “experts” than on the Lord? Anxious and frustrating moments steer me to call on my own mom or to text a trusted friend rather than to learn of Him.

This invitation to come and learn of Him at its root is humility. "...for I am meek and lowly in heart."

Now we all know that humility is an “attitude of the heart.” Yet it is so easy to fall for Satan’s counterfeits and examine our “humility” by an outward display. It might look like self-deprecation, a fear in acknowledging or using talents and abilities, turning away praise, or having an introverted personality. This counterfeit might even disguise itself as someone who runs themselves ragged for the sake of others (I sure am guilty of that).

However, when we search the Scriptures and study the life of Christ, humility is personified. We learn how humility is an identity – a way of living our lives. It isn’t a personality, but a personhood (thank the Lord for that!). Humility is truly the deepest way we can identify with Christ.

In the next Mommy Musing article, we will explore the depths of Christ’s humility from a wonderful passage of Scripture in Philippians. There we will continue to build another layer of understanding in what it means to be yoked together with Christ and enter a life-long pursuit of knowing Him so that we may experience the rest unto our souls we so desperately need.