Author: THERESA JACOBSON

Listening for the Promise
Weekly Devotional

Listening for the Promise
Weekly Devotional

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9) – July 5, 2026
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
- Matthew 11:28-30 -
Imagine horseback riding along a quiet country road lined with an over-growth of wildflowers or hiking endless trails atop mountains overlooking deep blue- and purple-colored canyons. Oh, the possibilities! Summer is a traditional time when most people plan their vacations to get away from their work; a time to rest and relax! The reality of escaping work for a while is that it will be there when you get back! In the text today, we are invited to a different kind of rest which goes beyond getting away for a little while.
We are personally invited with the words, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The phrase, “Come to me” is a very personal way to invite someone and yet, God uses them. How does this invitation make you feel? Our Lord wants us to recognize that he is always with us, so he asks us to come, rest, and intentionally be in his presence.
God’s invitation is a call to believe and a call to a committed fellowship with Christ. As disciples, we are continually being formed and shaped by the one who created us and calls us into service. But this can be tiring, even as it is exciting and wonderful. So, we are instructed by our Lord to, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” As our faith in Christ and relationship with him grows, he will give us rest from our weariness and burdens.
How wonderful it is to know God loves us so much that he loves to be with us and hear from us. God also wants to show us how to have peace even in the midst of hardships or problems in this world. When we take rest in God’s presence and dwell there every day, we are transformed by his love and mercy. Christ will make us more Christ-like in our thoughts and actions. He will give us what we need for the day and that includes rest and restoration. When we rest in him, he restores our lives and teaches us how to live peacefully in a busy world that seeks to keep us moving and working and thinking all the time. Amen.
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9) – July 5, 2026
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
- Matthew 11:28-30 -
Imagine horseback riding along a quiet country road lined with an over-growth of wildflowers or hiking endless trails atop mountains overlooking deep blue- and purple-colored canyons. Oh, the possibilities! Summer is a traditional time when most people plan their vacations to get away from their work; a time to rest and relax! The reality of escaping work for a while is that it will be there when you get back! In the text today, we are invited to a different kind of rest which goes beyond getting away for a little while.
We are personally invited with the words, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The phrase, “Come to me” is a very personal way to invite someone and yet, God uses them. How does this invitation make you feel? Our Lord wants us to recognize that he is always with us, so he asks us to come, rest, and intentionally be in his presence.
God’s invitation is a call to believe and a call to a committed fellowship with Christ. As disciples, we are continually being formed and shaped by the one who created us and calls us into service. But this can be tiring, even as it is exciting and wonderful. So, we are instructed by our Lord to, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” As our faith in Christ and relationship with him grows, he will give us rest from our weariness and burdens.
How wonderful it is to know God loves us so much that he loves to be with us and hear from us. God also wants to show us how to have peace even in the midst of hardships or problems in this world. When we take rest in God’s presence and dwell there every day, we are transformed by his love and mercy. Christ will make us more Christ-like in our thoughts and actions. He will give us what we need for the day and that includes rest and restoration. When we rest in him, he restores our lives and teaches us how to live peacefully in a busy world that seeks to keep us moving and working and thinking all the time. Amen.

Sola Worship Resource — Weekly Devotional © 2017 Sola Publishing (www.solapublishing.org), written by Rev. Theresa A. Jacobson. Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 . Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sola Worship Resource — Weekly Devotional © 2017 Sola Publishing (www.solapublishing.org), written by Rev. Theresa A. Jacobson. Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 . Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.