Come Away, My Beloved Daughter
By Rev. Dr. Maxine L. Thomas, Columnist
Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Are you feeling heavy laden or perhaps burdened because of the weight of your responsibilities?
Women wear many hats and play many roles. We strive to not only meet others’ expectations but also to measure up to an even higher standard that we have set for ourselves.
We lay awake at night pondering over busy schedules that lie ahead of us. Yet, God desires that we follow His lead and take the weight off and wait on Him. Are you a God-pleaser or are you more concerned with doing it the way you want and getting the results you desire?
God would have us know that it is all right to come away. It is alright to find rest in the loving Savior.
There are some things in which we need to come away. Yes, there are some people that we need to avoid like the Bubonic Plague. Are you wondering why you always feel dragged down and washed out? What kind of company are you keeping? Some folk will even drain the last drop from a turnip if you let them. There are some relationships that we need to release, cut loose, break free, and move on. God says, “Come away.”
Perhaps you need to disassociate yourself from the pain of your past. Each of us has some things in our past that the devil meant to destroy us but God is able to take it and make it work for His divine purpose in our life. It is important that you release the pain of your past and abandon your soul to the Lord Jesus.
If you are going to break free, it will be through prayer and meditation. God’s Word is able to soothe all hurts and heal all pain. It can erase the scars left from rape and incest. It will heal the pain inflicted from rejection and inferiority complexes. God’s Word will mend your broken heart from the loss of a child. It’s time to release. It’s time to run to the water, the Living Water.
Jesus bids us to come to Him. In the midst of your sorrow, Jesus says, “Come away.” In the midst of your security and self-sufficiency, Jesus says, “Come away.” It doesn’t matter who you are; where you live; how many letters are behind your name; whether you’re married, single, or divorced; who you know’ or the size of your bank account, Jesus says, “Come away.”
Jesus Christ is the way to true peace. I don’t mean peace that’s based on prosperity, people, or promises. If you want real peace, I dare you to get it at the feet of Jesus. I dare you to get it at the foot of the cross. Won’t you just bow down and worship Him where you are? God wants you to come away and worship at His feet!
The Bible says, “I will give you rest.” Beloved, rest is not procrastination. It is not defined as remaining idle or allowing the gift that God has placed in you to lie dormant. Rest is the contentment and peace you have in knowing that everywhere you go, everything you do, and everything you say is reflective of God’s good and perfect will for your life at this appointed time. Rest is leaning on the Lord and trusting Him to keep you. Come away.
Exhale! With the assurance of God’s gift of life, release the dead weight of all burdens and cares. In this moment, come away with God.
The Rev. Dr. Maxine L. Thomas is an ordained itinerant elder in the AME Church and serves as the assistant pastor at Quinn Chapel AME Church in Louisville, Kentucky, where her husband the Rev. Troy Thomas is the pastor. She is also the campus minister at IGNITE Norfolk at Old Dominion University and is the director of Crossroads Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church in Louisville. She is the founder of Sisters Keeping the Covenant and the founder of My Sister’s Keeper Bible and Leadership Academy.
