Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Monday, March 21, 2011

"Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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."¹

I have read how one of Denmark's leading sculptors had a consuming ambition to sculpt the greatest statue of Jesus Christ ever made. He began by painstakingly shaping a clay model of a triumphant, majestic figure. "This will be my masterpiece," he stated on the day the model was completed.

However, during the night, a heavy fog rolled into the area and sea-spray seeped into the sculptor's studio through a partially open window. In the morning he was shocked to see his model. The droplets of moisture that had formed on the statue created the illusion of bleeding. The head had drooped. The facial expression had melted into compassion. The arms drooped and expressed welcome. The artist was horrified and was aghast at having to start all over again.

However, as he kept looking at his statue of the Savior, his thoughts began to take on a different shape. He realized that his image of Christ was much closer to reality. He then wrote his caption and placed it under the figure: "Come unto me!"

Indeed, that is the call of Jesus to each of us today, "Come unto me."

Suggested prayer: "Dear Jesus, in the words of the hymn-writer, 'Just as I am without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God I come, I come.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: If you have never come to Jesus and received his forgiveness and his gift of eternal life, be sure to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian . . . without having to be religious" at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Jesus in Matthew 11:28-31 (NIV).

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