Matthew 11 (The Message) 28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Our level of anxiety soars, when we move to a new town, enter a new school, start a new job, or search for a new church. We face the same fear we had in childhood – the fear of rejection. Even the most outgoing people wonder how they’ll fit in. Moving out of the community and into the crowd of a school, job or church can produce a nervousness that burdens and exhausts the soul.
A church may be one of the most difficult places to enter. We wonder what will be expected? Will they judge me? Am I dressed right?
At Good Shepherd, we want you to feel like an honored guest. We use the term guest because you are here as a guest of Jesus Christ. He made the invitation.
The first step toward developing a relationship with God is to feel welcome – to have a sense that you are OK and can park your soul here for a time. Then you can begin to feel the real rest Jesus describes in Matthew 11.
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