“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s invitation from God is to come to Him to find rest. Deborah and I are blessed to get some much-needed rest this week over our Spring Break. We’ve also been blessed to spend some time planning for our Water Walkers blog with Ray, our retired partner, and friend. How do you find rest in God? For me, it is my devotion and quiet time. This is one of my favorite promises when life is busy or complicated. Ray’s key photo is a rocky terrain along the water. God doesn’t promise us an easy life but He does offer us rest when life’s path is rocky.

What do you think Matthew means by God’s yoke being easy? Take a moment to read the Message Translation of these verses. God says “I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you”. The simplicity of these verses reminds me of making tea cakes. I’ve included the recipe below. Just like God’s word, there are key steps you don’t want to rush through. The simple process of baking by hand, feeling the light and easy yoke as it slips through your fingers is an unforced rhythm. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Show me the areas in my life that I need to recover. I desire to find rest in Your unforced rhythms of grace. Thank You for walking with me through the rocky terrains of life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Tea Cakes Recipe

• 2 sticks butter softened
• 3 cups self-rising flour sifted
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour and powdered milk together and mix in sugar. Crack one egg at a time on a plate. Remove the chalazae which is the strand of membranes that attach the yolk to the shell. In a separate bowl, hand-mix softened butter, eggs, and vanilla together. Then hand-mix this with flour mixture. Dust your fingers with flour so that you can easily pinch a small amount and drop on a sprayed pan or pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes on the top rack.

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’” John‬ ‭7‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s invitation is to come and drink from God’s Living Water. We are blessed with the promise to never thirst again. We all go through seasons where we either feel well-watered or parched. What season are you in today? Are you overflowing with God’s living water? Or are you in need of renewal? Take a moment to look at Ray’s photo above. Now imagine God’s Living Water renewing your spirit.

The picture below is of our daughter, Kendal. This past week she was invited to join the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society in College. We are so proud of her as this invitation is given based on grades. Aren’t we glad that God’s invitation to drink from the fountain is for everyone! Our Heavenly Father is proud of us too. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have accomplished, we are all invited to come and drink.

I encourage you to listen to the song, “Living Water” by Anne Wilson. Really listen to the words. We aren’t strangers to God, but now His sons and daughters. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Thank You for Your Living Water. I desire to experience a renewal today. I humbly come before You to receive Your cleansing Spirit so that I can overflow Your Living Water to those around me. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’” John 14‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s invitation from God is to come to Him through His Son Christ Jesus. Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to live in your heart? Have you professed your faith? We just went through Holy Week and we’re able to experience life on Earth with Jesus. Such a beautiful gift we have. Like in Ray’s picture above sometimes our way seems treacherous, but we have a clear path through Jesus. He is the Way, Truth, and Life.

The picture below is of Kendal and Trevor at their confirmation into the church. This was an invitation for our children to join the church and profess their faith since their infant baptism. What is your salvation story? It doesn’t have to be some grand story. Your invitation from God is personal and unique to you. I encourage you to share that gift with someone this day. I also encourage you to take a moment to pray for our children. We live in such a cruel world and many have not been fortunate to grow up in Christian homes. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Thank You for the gift of Your son, Christ Jesus. Thank You for the forgiveness of sins and the eternal life that You invite me to. I pray for our Youth that they will all get an invitation to follow You from someone like me. Give me the courage to share that gift with someone today. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This week we will talk about the different invitations we receive from God. Today’s invitation is to remain in God. Each sunrise is a fresh start to remain. How can we remain in Him? We can remain in Him by staying in tune with God through His word and prayer, daily taking up our cross to follow Him, and by surrounding ourselves with fruitful friends and family. Who do you surround yourself with?

The picture below was an invitation to gather with some of my dearest friends and family at the movies. Although this would be a highlight reel for me, I can call on them when I am struggling to produce fruit. You can find the full passage in John 15:1-17. I encourage you to meditate on these verses as you sit and remain with God. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Thank You for Your invitation to remain in You. Help me to bear much fruit so that I can be a fruitful friend to others. Guide me to share Your invitation with those in my path. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.” Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is celebrate. Easter Sunday is a day of celebration that Jesus has risen and is alive. How do you celebrate? For me and my family it has changed over the years as family has gotten older and many have passed away. For many years now we have gathered in a family member’s home for an early evening potluck with all the family favorites. Take a moment to think about what an empty grave personally means to you. How is this a celebration in your life? In verses 5 and 6 to follow you will read a personal invitation to see Jesus’ empty grave; “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’” This week we will be talking about different personal invitations we receive from our Risen Lord.

Take a moment to enjoy Ray’s photo. With every rising sun, we are blessed to receive an invitation to celebrate our Risen Lord. I encourage you to celebrate with the song, “Empty Grave” by Zach Williams. As you listen, pause and watch the very powerful video. Imagine the angels singing in Jubilation. You can read today’s full passage in Matthew 28: 1-10. Our Risen Lord gives us an open invitation to prayer in Psalm 145:18 NIV: “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Let’s pray.

Dear Risen Lord, May every creature praise Your Holy Name. Thank You for my personal invitation to Your empty grave. I shout with jubilation that You conquered death for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is blessed. Our key verses today are called the Beatitudes Jesus had given these blessings to His disciples during the Sermon on the Mount. There is a scene in the Netflix series, “The Chosen” where Jesus gives the Beatitudes to Matthew. He refers to them as directions to find Him. Jesus lived on the Earth and experienced the same trials we face today. These red letters found in Matthew are meant for us to find comfort and blessings in Jesus.

Notice the sky reflecting on the beach. We are blessed to have the word of God reflecting on our path as a road map to find and seek Him. The song “Red Letters” by Crowder is a great way to depict just how Jesus’s red letters bless us today. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Thank You for Your red letters to guide and bless me today. I find comfort and peace in Your unfailing word. Thank You for the Community I have with fellow believers. May we all join together to be the salt of the earth and shine Your light so that we may be a blessing. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.