Earth Can Get a Little Crazy

Sunday - September 19th

Scripture to Read Today: Matthew 11:28-30

---

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

In May of 2020, SpaceX launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley into orbit, successfully beginning the company's first crewed mission. Behnken and Hurley were labeled "Crew Dragon" by Nasa. The launch also represented the first time NASA had launched its own astronauts since the end of the space shuttle program nearly a decade ago.

The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the astronauts lifted off from the launchpad. About 12 minutes later, Crew Dragon reached orbit successfully. The pair spent nearly 6 months onboard the space station before returning to earth in November of 2020.

To say 2020 was a challenging year for our nation and our world would be a massive understatement. For one day--during a global pandemic, historic race protests, and an intensely divided presidential campaign--our country stopped to witness the incredible sight of the rocket's launch.

Within hours of the launch, hundreds of tweets and memes related to the event began to pop up in social media feeds. My favorite tweet was, "Congratulations to the astronauts that left earth today. Good choice." That tweet got retweeted by millions of people. Why? It captured something everyone had been feeling, and in many ways, still feels today.

We are weary. We are tired. Last year we were, and still are today, so exhausted that we smile and laugh when we consider the possibility that astronauts might be choosing to go to space to escape earth's problems. After all, earth can get a little crazy. Being human is not always easy.

Jesus Himself knew of the weariness of being human. He walked among us. God the Son walked in human flesh and lived the human experience. Because of that, He gets it. He empathizes with us. That is why in Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Jesus invites you in your exhaustion, frustration, and emptiness to come to Him. You can do that in prayer. Simply say, "OK, Lord, here I am. I am tired and weary. Please give me rest and renewal in your presence." As you pray, open your arms. Verbalize how tired you are and what it is that has worn you down to that point. Ask Him to replace your weariness with the strength of His grace and peace.

You don't have to escape the planet to find rest; if you are worn out, go to Jesus to discover the rest only He can give.