Editorial: "Come Unto Me … I Will Give"

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 10
What an infinite promise of blessing is contained in these words of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28))! Never did one who felt their need and helplessness come to Him and find themselves turned away and still in need. He, in His Person, full of love, grace and compassion, truly was the perfect fulfillment of that “fruitful bough... whose branches run over the wall” (Gen. 49:2222Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: (Genesis 49:22)). Nothing could hinder God’s blessing flowing out to the needy through His Son. What a freehearted giver is our God (Rom. 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32))!
Even though the Lord Jesus came to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:2424But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 15:24)), there was infinite, divine compassion in Him to reward the faith of all who came. None who approached expressing need were turned away by the Lord. Each Gospel contains many precious accounts which comfort the heart, strengthen the feeble knees, lift up the hands that hang down and ought to cause praise to ascend to Him who alone is worthy.
Matthew
The blind man, owning Him as “Son of David,” receives sight (Matt. 9:2727And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. (Matthew 9:27)), while, though the multitude would continually hinder the outflow of His divine mercy, He graciously hears the cry of two more blind men, giving them sight (Matt. 20:3030And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. (Matthew 20:30)).
Peter’s faith faltered in the midst of a storm, and, beginning to sink in the stormy waves, he cries out, “Lord, save me,” bringing instant deliverance by the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Matt. 14:3030But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. (Matthew 14:30)).
Mark
An outcast leper comes believing there is healing power available in Jesus: “If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean” (Mark 1:4040And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (Mark 1:40)). The perfect Servant says but five words “I will; be thou clean” His divine touch curing the leper’s hopeless condition.
When the ruler of a synagogue falls at the feet of the divine Servant, crying to Him for his dying daughter, the Lord Jesus graciously goes and, in the midst of ridicule, restores her life (Mark 5:2222And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, (Mark 5:22)). This perfect Servant’s work so astonished the multitude that they say, “He hath done all things well” (Mark 7:3737And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. (Mark 7:37)).
Luke Such was the infinite sympathy of the Man of Sorrows that in the presence of the unspeakable grief of a widowed mother about to bury her only son, He says, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise,” and death flees from the presence of Life (Luke 7:1414And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. (Luke 7:14)).
When His disciples cry, “Master, Master, we perish,” the Lord Jesus rebukes and stills the storm while reproving their unbelief (Luke 8:2424And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. (Luke 8:24)).
A woman who had spent eighteen years bent over in crippled helplessness, perhaps as unable to see the Son of Man as the blind, utters no cry for help. Yet that divine Man sees her, knows her condition, and His hands convey healing so that she is able to stand up straight and glorify God (Luke 13:11-1311And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (Luke 13:11‑13)).
John
A thirsty, outcast woman requests of a thirsty Stranger the eternal Son of God “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:1515The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. (John 4:15)). She receives lasting satisfaction that six different men were unable to give her.
A weeping woman who has lost a loved brother breathes out the agony of her heart when she tells the “Light of the world,” “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” (John 11:3232Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (John 11:32)). Shortly after, the “Resurrection and the Life” calls forth life from the gloomy grave. “Jesus wept,” but now dear Mary and her sister can “rejoice evermore.”
How many precious gifts do we find in the Gospels, given to those who accepted the blessed Lord Jesus’ tender, loving invitation, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). Let’s come to Him asking for much! “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:2424Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)).
Ed.