Seeing Jesus Again! 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me.” — Matthew 11:28, MSG

Those words of Jesus have been stirring me again.

I wonder whether we have sometimes become experts in the excesses of activity while neglecting intimacy and awe.

The Church can be very good at grafting. We volunteer, organise, build teams, pursue excellence and encourage commitment. Much of it is done sincerely, sacrificially and as worship. I’m certainly not knocking that. I’ve given much of my life to it!

But Jesus’ great invitation was never simply, “Fulfil a rota.” It was “Follow Me.”

When Jesus spoke about the cost of discipleship, I’m not convinced He had organisational success in mind. The costly life He demonstrated was the cost of love, kindness, grace, intimacy, prayer, forgiveness, obedience, mercy — even martyrdom. Those things can cost us far more than activity ever will.

There is a subtle danger for those of us who are doers, action-orientated and purpose-driven. We can spend ourselves on frenetic activity and automatically call our exhaustion sacrifice. Yet busyness and fruitfulness are not necessarily the same thing. The Pharisees knew how to carry religious burdens. Jesus knew how to carry the Father’s heart.

There must be a balanced truth here. Kingdom life certainly involves service, sacrifice, discipline and hard work. But perhaps the question is: What kind of burden are we carrying, and who gave it to us?

In this new era, I find myself deeply challenged by this.
How can we do church more simply, lightly, relationally, humbly, quietly and loosely?
How can we carry the Kingdom without burning out the saints?
Empire will always demand more bricks. But the Spirit invites sons and daughters to walk with God.

So let’s keep running after the true prize. Jesus.
His love. His Gospel. His presence. His power. Obedience to the Master.
He is still the pearl of great price.

Perhaps revival will not only look like more. Perhaps sometimes revival looks like stripping away everything that distracts us until Jesus becomes beautiful to us again.

Believe & Confess Meditation & Declaration

I come to Jesus and receive His rest. I refuse to carry burdens He never asked me to carry. (Matthew 11:28–30)
I choose intimacy with Jesus as the one thing necessary, refusing to let busyness steal His presence from me. (Luke 10:41–42)
I will run my race with my eyes fixed upon Jesus, laying aside every weight that hinders me. (Hebrews 12:1–2)

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