A lot of things have been exposed as flawed during the COVID-19 crisis the world is currently facing. The securities we have all clung to have proven to faulty and unreliable. Life just changed for many before anyone could really understand what was going on. Many businesses are unsure of their future, countless people have lost their jobs, and so many are mourning the lost or suffering from the virus itself.
We know the old adage, “knowledge is power.” In the midst of a flood of information, its this understanding that may have been exposed for its inaccuracy more than anything else.
We live in a time where, thanks to technology, information–true or false– moves faster than any pandemic. But with the abundance of knowledge, and the rate of speed that it spreads, is it actually a good thing?
To many, the internet and the influx of information we have today is a good advancement of communication, not much different than others in the past. But there’s a flaw in our view of the knowledge we’re gaining through this advancement. That flaw is that, though we may gain some sort of “power” from knowledge, that power is never peace.
We’re bombarded by information constantly flooding in through the internet. Some information may be sound, a may even be true, but even when you get the right information, it doesn’t really comfort you. Anxiety is increasing all the more with the threat of COVID-19 news. The scare of infection, the uncertainty of the future, and everything in between is pressing on everyone’s minds due to internet news outlets’ constant focus on it, as well as social media platforms flooded with streams devoted to it. No one has any peace.
But in the midst of the noise… a bible passage comes to mind where Jesus says “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”– Matthew 11:28
Jesus, loving and desirous to comfort, would go on to explain his heartfelt offer to bring peace.
“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.” (Verses 29-30)
To some, this seems like a joke. He invites the weary and burdened to take up another burden. But no, Jesus was not a comedian. Even today, right now, Jesus offers us freedom from the burdens of life that plague our souls. The primary burden is sin. He invites us to him with the offer of rest that no one else can offer. Jesus explains that receiving said rest isn’t a consumer transaction. He wants a commitment of love with us. As we walk life with Jesus, we will still carry a yoke, but this yoke is one we carry with the Lord. We are not going through life all on our own. It is Jesus who carries the load with us.
Jesus says, “learn from me.” How appropriate is this statement in the “Information Age” where you can learn anything at any time? If there is anything that will really give you rest, if there is any knowledge that really is worthy of being deemed “power,” it’s this – learning how to live life like Jesus. This world we live in is perplexing and difficult, heavy and challenging, but Jesus says that the yoke that he carries and the burden he faces is light. Why? Because his life is the path of love.
Knowing God’s love, not just theoretically, but intimately and practically, is the true power. It powers you out of anxiety (as well as selfishness and just about anything else you may face.)
When knowing God’s love, you realize firstly that you don’t deserve it, yet He gives it because he loves you. This is not because of you, but because of him. He loves without conditions. And this is such a gracious thing to be able to say – God loves me. Knowing God’s love means, you know his direction for your life, and ultimately, you know the final destination for it as well.
So, in this pandemic time, where many things are being exposed, we here at AM International hope that God’s love is exposed as the sure foundation we stand upon. May you all receive peace and rest for your souls as you follow Jesus.