The importance of steeped tea

This morning our pastor was talking about the value of "steeped" tea. (Now don't get the wrong impression about our pastor from this. He runs his ministry on pure java but he is still able to identify with those living in the tea counter-culture.) His point was that we should not simply rush on from passage to passage in our Bible study. From time to time we should just sit with one passage and revisit it day after day until all the nutrients and flavour of the words begin to be released into our hearts and minds. As I listened to him I decided that I would take a couple of verses and stick with them for a while to see what would happen. I'll record the results here. So, here's what were going to steep:

"Come to 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." Matthew 11:28-30

I love the invitations in Scripture, they are so welcoming and accepting. I love to hear Jesus say "come to me." He has such interesting ways of determining who qualifies to come. He doesn't say, "come to me all you Jews" or "come to me all you religious people" or "come to me all you good living people" or "come to me all you intelligent people" but "come to me all you who are weary and burdened." Anyone carrying around a disappointment, a hurt, a wound. Anyone tired of living, worn out from the battle, used up, spent, down to their last crust, running out of rope. "Come to me." We're used to invitations in our culture. The whole advertising industry is one big invititation: "Come to me all you who have money and I will satisfy your needs with clothes, tools, toys, technology..." But God says: "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?" (Isaiah 55:1-2). (Make appropriate applications here to the Christmas holiday mindset).

"Come to me." Something is being required here. It is not required that we be anything but needy, nonetheless there is something being asked of us. "Come." We are being asked to come. I thought of all the people who intentionally got up, burden and all, and came to Jesus. I thought of Zaccheus who climbed a tree and waited. I thought of the four friends who ripped their neighbours roof off so they could bring their friend to Jesus. I thought of the woman with the "issue of blood" who got in close enough to reach out and touch Jesus. I thought of the Centurion who came to Jesus for his son. I thought of example after example of people who got up and went looking for Jesus. It's not people who are weary and burdened who find rest. Its people who are weary and burdened and who get up under the weight of that burden and come to Jesus. This is what I am doing by steeping this tea. I'm coming to Jesus. I'm responding to his invitation. I'm telling him what's on my heart. I'm getting into proximity with him. I'm reaching out and touching him. I'm ripping the roof off of what ever is standing between me and a relationship with him. I'm getting into touching position. I'm getting into listening position. I'm comparing Jesus' invitation with all of the other invitations that came in the mail this week, as inserts in the newspaper, and as flyers and shout outs from all the people who are ready to meet my needs for a small fee.

Let the steeping begin.