Today’s devotional is drawing all the lessons from Jesus’ invitation to those who labour and are heavy laden. In the devotional of March 23, references of how beautifully three great servants of God described this invitation of Jesus were reflected separately thus: – (1) Martin Luther, said that “He invites…with the greatest kindness…” (2) Pastor A. T. Robertson said: – “No sublimer (very inspiring or impressive) words exist than this call of Jesus to the toiling and the burdened to come to Him.” (3) Another writer was quoted by R. A. Torrey who said that “In this invitation our Lord proclaims Himself to be everything to the souls.” Among many lessons drawn from this invitation, this devotional is dwelling on Jesus’ leadership quality of ensuring that equity, justice and freedom of life is given to people. The major hidden ingredient of this invitation is seeing those suffering under human made laws set free. People the ruling government of the day placed heavy yokes of taxations, restrictions of religious regulations denying them personal freedom to be granted freedom. We look to seeing leaders who know that there is a curse on them who decree unrighteous decrees and turn the needy from judgment and take away the right of the poor etc. (Isaiah 10: 1 – 2).
In this invitation, Jesus called them into receiving rest from all the above harsh conditions and other loads of inhuman treatments. He promised them of making their yokes easy and light because He would take up the responsibilities of making life easy, refreshing, affordable and weightless upon them. Jesus Christ was a Leader who did not LORD Himself over His servants but served them in feeding, free healing and delivering them out of their problems without cost. He attended to the sorrowful and gave them joy. He sought for the lost ones and found them, then established them. He was always in search of those to grant them justices and freedom. We look forward to seeing leaders who will give justice to the weak and the fatherless as seen in Psalms 82: 3. We could still hear Prophet Isaiah saying: “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and please the widow’s cause” (Isa. 1: 17) to the leaders of this age.
No one will contradict the saying that many world leaders, past and present, are reasons we have injustices, draconian laws, inhuman treatments upon fellow humans. Year in and year out, new laws are promulgated from the ruling classes. These rules and laws add heavier burden to the existing one bore by human beings. Jesus said we should not lord ourselves over people, but we do it boasting. We have people working for us 24/7 without granting them rest. Many common people are crying of high costs of living, while some of leaders are feeding on the sufferings of the masses. Some religious leaders and practitioners failed in correcting the high handed leaders. Many professionals like lawyers, medical people and technicians milk the less privileged dry on daily bases. This devotional points these people to see how God cautioned His people in the Old Testament not to do injustice in court (Lev. 19: 15). What a wonderful lesson here?
PRAYER:
FATHER GOD, seek out from the world, leaders who will bring real justices into the world again, who will make comfortable provisions for the masses and bring them forth in the name of your Son Jesus Christ.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch