Rest for the Restless

Saint Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo, once wrote: “Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they find their rest in You.”

Restless hearts. Weak and weary souls. That’s us!

Jesus often encountered people who were harassed and helpless, “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34). Are not we to be counted among them? After all, we “labor for the food that perishes” (John 6:27). We “worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). We look inward to our own strength and our own determination and fail to cast all our cares upon the Lord, to live from every word that proceeds from His mouth, and to take the good gifts He gives us in Word and Sacrament out there into the real world with us.

There is only one cure for restless hearts. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden,” says Jesus, “and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Rest here, O weary ones. Rest here…

in Jesus’ wounds,

in Jesus’ body,

in Jesus’ blood,

in Jesus’ house.

Rest here, O weary ones. Rest here…

in Jesus’ words,

in Jesus’ absolution,

in Jesus’ Gospel,

in Jesus’ body and blood.

These, and these alone, will sustain you on your journey to the Promised Land. So come to God’s house and make the sign of the cross in remembrance of the baptismal grace that is yours in Christ. Confess your sins. Be absolved. Listen and take to heart the words of everlasting life. Add your Amen to the church’s prayer. Eat and drink the fruits of Christ’s victory over sin, death, and hell. And then return home with Christ’s blessing. All of these are wrapped up in Jesus words: “Whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

Did you expect anything less? Jesus is here, in His house, in His Word and Sacrament, to serve you, to give you rest, to deliver His peace, to bind wounds, mend broken hearts, and comfort troubled consciences, to restore the joy of His salvation, to create in you a clean heart and renew in you a right spirit, to forgive sins and strengthen faith.

No wonder Saint Augustine found his rest in Jesus Christ and Him alone. “Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they find their rest in You.” May we do the same!