On a boiling hot day we stopped off to see the work in progress whilst on our way to a local beauty spot. The lads had done an excellent job. I asked them what the inscription meant. There was quite along discussion between themselves in Polish. They had two problems. The first was that the inscription was written in old Polish; the second was how to put it into English using the words that they knew. Finally they came up with the phrase ‘If you are tired or working hard, come to me and I will cold-you-up.' After a few moments I realised that it was Matthew Chapter 11 verse 28.

‘Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest’.

I was really thankful for the lad’s interpretation, but why had they used the phrase ‘cold-you-up’ for ‘rest’? My concordance shows that in the New Testament some 14 different Greek words are all translated ‘rest’. A check of the original Greek word translated ‘rest’ in this verse showed that it does mean ‘rest’ but that it is equally likely to be translated ‘refresh’ (check it out for yourself in 1 Corinthians 16v18, 2 Corinthians 7v13 and Philemon v 7). Their words gave me a new insight into that invitation from Jesus. It is an invitation to rest and to be refreshed. On those other occasions when the word is translated ‘refresh’ the apostle Paul is writing about how the actions of some of the saints had refreshed the hearts and spirits of other saints. It serves as a reminder that our actions can either weary others or refresh them. Have you considered, lately, what effect your actions are having on those around you? If our actions are refreshing others it is probably due to the fact that we are receiving refreshing, ourselves, from the Lord Jesus. If our actions are wearying others it is probably because we need to act on the Lord’s invitation; here it is again.

‘Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest’

Have you ever come to Jesus for rest? Do you know how to?

We can only come to Jesus on his terms. For this we must humble ourselves, acknowledging that He is Lord of all. If we are weary and burdened it is likely that we have been attempting things our way and in our own strength, thinking that we can do it all ourselves, without God’s help. To regain strength and freshness from Jesus we must come to Him, confessing our own tendency to go our own way and be willing to let Him have his own way and for things to happen in his own time.

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