“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV)
We Americans celebrate a number of holidays honoring our heroes who rendered great sacrifice for our nation’s survival. These individuals from our past, are worthy of our honor, for many of them gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives so that we might enjoy the freedoms and liberties we are blessed with today. Yet, we also recognized the sacrifices and service of those who live among us today by celebrating a holiday called Labor Day.
Labor Day was made a national holiday in the United States in the year 1894 as a day “dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country,” (Wikipedia). Labor Day in America is supposed to be a day of rest.
Yet, while America might declare a Labor Day, giving its workers a day off to rest, we know there is only one who can give us that true rest, Jesus the Christ. The “rest” of the national holiday, Labor Day, is simply, for many, a day off work. Yet, we know you can have a day off work, but still have the stress and struggles of life weighing on you that make a day off work merely a day not working. But Jesus bids all of us, non-Christian and Christian alike, to come to Him and He will give that true rest. Jesus, our Savior, gives us a rest of mind, an assurance of His continual presence, a help in a time of trouble and a peace in the midst of confusion.
In this life, we all have to labor. Thank God for this nation granting a day that honors and appreciates all the laborers and their work. Yet, let us all run to Him who will give us that true rest from our labor every day. Let us look to Jesus for OUR LABOR DAY REST.