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He Will Give You Rest: An Invitation and a Promise
He Will Give You Rest is a unique book about accepting an invitation from Jesus and receiving an extraordinary blessing in return. The invitation to come unto me is a call that speaks to each of us. But how far are we willing to come even as Latter-day Saints? Is there a contradiction between an easy yoke and a light burden? What does Christ s promise mean to us today? Whether our burdens represent physical challenges, demands for time and energy, heartbreak, or financial insecurity, the promise, I will give you rest, is just as desirable and remarkable as it was two thousand years ago. Discover how Christ s invitation and promise can lead you to greater peace Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Gaye Strathearn are trusted gospel scholars with a skill for discovering personal application in the scriptures
- GenresReligionNonfiction
128 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2010
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52 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 13, 2022
Great book and timely insights about rest, peace, and the blessings of discipleship and coming to and trusting in Jesus Christ. Here are some favorite quotes:
"The most important invitation ever given to the human family: 'Come unto me' (Matthew 11:28, p. x)."
"There are times in all our lives when deep sorrow or suffering or fear or loneliness makes us cry out for the peace which only God Himself can bring (p. 1)."
"Matthews Gospel 'is a book of invitation, summoning the reader to seek God's kingdom and righteousness (6:33), to come to Jesus and experience rest (11:28), to hear his words and act on them (7:24), to understand the word and bear fruit (13:23), and to live a life of good works that brings glory to the Father in heaven (5:16)' (p. 2)."
"For those who desire to be disciples, who want to be bound to Jesus Christ with his yoke, Jesus' invitation implies and assumes that we come to him completely (p. 2)."
"'To come unto Christ is not satisfied by a mere confession or declaration of belief in Him. It means to follow Him in order to become as He is' (Dallin H. Oaks, p. 3)."
"'After ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?... Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ' (2 Nephi 31:19-20, p. 3)."
"'The Lord's desire that we come unto Him and be wrapped in His arms is often an invitation to repent. 'Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you' (Alma 5:33)... For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult' (Neil L. Andersen, p. 4)."
"'Some grind to a halt under the weight of overload and exhaustion... We wouldn't lose momentum in these ways if more of us could live every day as truly consecrated disciples of Christ, rather than just being active in Church. Those who are well-intentioned but stuck in mere activity wonder why the joy of the journey has waned, perhaps without realizing that they have stopped growing spiritually. When the growth stops, so does the joy' (Bruce C. Hafen, p. 6)."
"Jesus requires no prerequisites as we begin our journey to him. The invitation is in fact to those who labor and are heavy laden (p. 8)."
"The modern world, with the invention of electricity, has extended the length of our days so we can fill them up with more things to do... it seems we can never escape, even for a moment (p. 9)."
"'I think that when we are affluent... we ought to be very, very generous... and give... perhaps... ten times more where we are in a position to do it' (Spencer W. Kimball, p. 10)."
"The Lord does not require complete self-denial. He does not want us to live in a cave or in a desert place, rejecting all pleasures, comforts, and relationships, because self-denial is a form of selfishness--a focus on self instead of on Christ (p. 11)."
"What Jesus offers is more than the 'rest' we can obtain by clearing the calendar... What Jesus promises is something more profound (John 14:27). This blessing itself comes through Jesus' infinite and eternal Atonement. Elder Tad R. Callister observed, 'Among its many blessings, the Atonement brings peace. It not only cleanses us, but it consoles us' (p. 12)."
"'For I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light' (Matthew 11:29-30, p. 12)."
"'When we exert enough spiritual energy to move closer to the Savior, the good news is that He then moves closer to us, more than doubling our motion by joining it with His' (Bruce C. Hafen, p. 13)."
"Elder James E. Talmage described verses 28-30 as 'one of the grandest outpourings of spiritual emotion known to man' (p. 15)."
"It is therefore significant that in a Gospel where works-righteousness is so prominent, Matthew also includes an important counterbalance for those who feel the weight of such responsibility. The counterbalance expressed in Matthew 11:28-30 is just as important for modern readers as it was to Matthew's original audience in the first century (p. 16)."
"At the turning point of this chiasmus is the invitation to take Jesus' yoke and learn about and from him. His yoke is not that of a tyrant, for he is meek and lowly in heart. He does not ask us to take his yoke so he can load additional burdens on us. Rather, he asks us to take his yoke because he loves us, because he wants to help us, because he wants us not just to endure mortality but to enter into a fulness of God's glory, both here and in the eternities (p. 17)."
"Jesus' knowledge of God did not come from learning about him through human effort or study... Jesus most likely did not own a set of scriptures (p. 21)."
"We will come to know the Father when we accept Jesus' invitation... knowing the Son is an important aspect of coming to know the Father and entering into his rest (D&C 84:24, p. 23)."
"The telling of the Sabbath day story immediately following the announcement of the special blessing that will come to those who accept Jesus' invitation is to demonstrate how his offer to give us peace and to lighten our burdens works in a real-life situation. It also reveals why we should accept Jesus' invitation to come unto him and to learn of him. Finally, it tells us why we can rely on Jesus and trust that he is able to fulfill the promise he has so graciously offered (p. 25)."
"The Torah principle that allowed the poor to pluck grain from a landholder's field also demonstrated God's mercy as he provided the stranger and the poor with food to eat. Combined, the Sabbath and plucking grain provided true rest, that is, freedom from work and freedom from hunger (p. 30)."
"These heavy burdens and human-constructed yokes weight us down and burn us out. In the story of the Sabbath day, Matthew provides an example of how Jesus lightens the burdens that come as a result of taking upon us the false traditions and values of our age--freeing us to live out God's original will (p. 35)."
"Sometimes a disciple is described as an apprentice, which emphasizes not only the responsibility of the master but also the formal indenture of the disciple to the master. Discipleship, therefore, denotes a strong association of commitment... Commitment to discipleship usually comes at a cost. Although Jesus is often portrayed with open arms welcoming all into his circle, he also makes some very pointed statements about the price of discipleship. Because these sayings are scattered throughout the Gospels, it is easy for the casual reader to overlook them or miss their significance, but it is important that modern readers also recognize the nuance of Jesus' teachings (p. 39)."
"Ultimately, Christian discipleship is about cultivating a relationship and having a deep connection with both God the Father and with his Son. In the Great Intercessory Prayer, Jesus prayed, 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent' (John 17:3). But the idea is not just that we know about them; it is about knowing them from personal experience (p. 40)."
"We must know about Christ because it is essential to continue the journey, but it is not the destination. Only when we have... experienced the pure love of Christ, charity, will we... truly be his disciple (p. 41)."
"The Father's will, and the prerequisite to entering the kingdom, is to know the Son... but discipleship is about knowing him through experience (p. 41)."
"Following Jesus as a disciple means following him not just when it is convenient, and not just when we can see the immediate tangible benefits, but also when following him means persecution, denial of comforts, and even death (p. 44)."
"'Jesus is... a leader. He does not do something for those who do nothing. Instead he commands, 'Follow me'... Discipleship is a doing of what is right, no matter how irksome the privations, no matter how great the dangers. Disciples are not 'seated spectators watching from the grandstand.' Disciples are those who are actively engaged in the cause of building the kingdom, even when it is inconvenient or difficult or painful. That is part of the cost of discipleship (p. 44)."
"Being a disciple is not just about consecrating peripheral aspects of our lives to God but also consecrating those things that are most important to us (p. 45)."
"Everything else (even the second great commandment) is ancillary to the first commandment to love God with 'all of thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind' (Matthew 22:37, p. 46)."
"'Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach and command you' (p. 46)."
"Jesus' invitation to 'come' is frequently used as a call to discipleship, which is sometimes accepted and sometimes rejected (p. 47)."
"The call to follow Jesus was, first and foremost, a call to minister to others (p. 48)."
"Not everyone, however, was willing to leave everything behind and respond to the Savior. For some the costs of discipleship were more than they were willing to sacrifice (p. 48)."
"Instead of inviting his audience to 'Come, follow me,' in this instance Jesus invites them to 'Come unto me.' This was the same invitation that Jesus repeatedly extended when he came to the New World as recorded in 3 Nephi 11 (p. 49)."
"Note that the invitation to 'come' in Matthew 11:28 and 3 Nephi is not a call to minister to others by preaching and healing... Rather, it is an invitation to 'come unto him.' The implication is that he invites them to come unto him so that he can minister unto them. Ministering to others was one of the hallmarks of Jesus' mortal ministry. In his great vision of that ministry, Nephi 'beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory' (1 Nephi 11:28)... He taught his disciples that unlike other leaders, he came to earth, not to be ministered to, 'but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many' (Matthew 20:28) (p. 50)."
"Jesus' Atonement was not just for our sins; it was also for our pains, afflictions, temptations, and infirmities!... The invitation... to 'come unto me' is... 'crucial. It is the key to the peace and rest we seek' (Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 55)."
"'The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar... when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 56)."
"The blessings that Jesus promises those who make the commitment to follow him and who are willing to embark upon the journey of discipleship.... (1) that they will have rest, (2) that Jesus' yoke is easy, and (3) that his burden is light (p. 56)."
"'Membership in the Church is not for the idler. He who seeks an easy road to salvation must go elsewhere' (Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 57)."
"'A perfect brightness of hope'... 'permits us to 'press forward' even when dark clouds oppress' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 58)."
"Note that Jesus' promise does not necessarily guarantee an immediate reward (p. 58)."
"Here the term rest clearly refers to the promised land, a place where they could put down roots and not have the constant stress and effort of traveling. It took the Israelites forty years to get to the place where they were to enter into this rest... it took forty years of wandering in the wilderness, experiencing trials and tribulations, for the Israelites to work out who they were and to demonstrate their willingness to be obedient to their God (p. 59)."
"What was the rest that the Israelites failed to receive? Doctrine and Covenants 84 gives us a clue... 'rest is the fulness of his glory' (D&C 84:19-24, p. 60)."
"Don't confuse the world's definitions of rest with that of Jesus' promise (p. 61)."
"Alma taught that those of his day who had entered into 'the rest of the Lord' 'could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence' (Alma 13:12, p. 63)."
"Matthew 11:28-30 is immediately followed by two Sabbath stories. It is significant that in these scriptures the concept of rest is most frequently tied to that of the Sabbath day, which... commemorates God's determination to rest following his creative labors (p. 64)."
"'Keeping the Sabbath day holy is much more than just physical rest. It involves spiritual renewal and worship' (James E. Faust, p. 64)."
"In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Sabbath is defined as a 'day appointed unto you to rest from your labors,' with its purpose also being 'that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world' (p. 65)."
"The Sabbath day is often called a day of rest... because we can participate in those activities that will help us maintain a repentant state and prepare us to receive a fulness of God's glory (p. 65)."
"The promise of rest will be more fully realized after the Resurrection in the kingdom of God (p. 66)."
"Though the promise of a heavenly rest if real, it is important to remember that the promise is also available here and now while we are still in mortality... If we think of Jesus' promise in Matthew only in terms of a heavenly reward, we might fail to recognize the myriad of ways that he seeks to bless us here and now (p. 68)."
"'The ancient prophets speak of 'entering into God's rest'; what does it mean? To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. We know of the doctrine that it is of God... The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into 'God's rest,' and he need not fear the vagaries of men, nor their cunning craftiness... Reference is made to the spiritual rest and peace which are born from a settled conviction of the truth in the minds of men. We may thus enter into the rest of the Lord today, by coming to an understanding of the truths of the gospel' (Joseph F. Smith, p. 69)."
"We are at peace with our testimony of the gospel and understand that it is all right to set aside some unanswered questions for a time because we understand that eventually all things will be revealed and understood (p. 70)."
"'O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed?... My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes' (D&C 121:7-8, p. 71)."
"'We would not accept the yoke of Christ; so now we must tremble at the yoke of Ceasar' (Fulton J. Sheen, p. 75)."
"'Consecration... is not shoulder-shrugging acceptance, but, instead, shoulder-squaring to better bear the yoke... It would change the entire Church if in every ward, we could have just three or four more families who become truly consecrated disciples of Jesus Christ instead of just being active in the Church' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 76)."
"'We talk often about the distinction between being active in the Church and being inactive. We should perhaps also talk more about the additional difference between being active and being a truly consecrated disciple' (Bruce C. Hafen, p. 76)."
"We may wonder how Jesus' yoke can be easy. How does choosing to wear it daily become a blessing to us (p. 77)?"
"'Christ's yoke, when fully and squarely placed upon us, is much lighter than the weight of sin. No burden is as heavy as the burden of the 'natural man'!' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 78)"
"'Those of us who fail in one way or another almost always do so because we carry unnecessary and heavy baggage. Thus overloaded, we then feel sorry for ourselves' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 78)."
"'Real adoration of Jesus as our Savior but also as the perfect leader will lead us to emulation of Him' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 79)."
"We, as disciples, become lifelong learners (p. 80)."
"Jesus gives us an easy yoke, creating a light burden because he bears it with us... Jesus turned the world upside down (p. 80)."
"How can a burden be light (p. 81)?"
"Many times the Lord makes our burdens lighter not by removing them but by strengthening us so that we are better able to bear them (p. 83)."
"Part of being a disciple and coming unto Christ is a willingness to allow our will to be swallowed up in his will, just as Christ has allowed his will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father... We are blessed when we are able to recognize the complete tapestry of ways that the hand of God is manifest in our lives (p. 84)."
"We may feel inadequate to fulfill the responsibilities of the calling, or it may be that those responsibilities will take us out of our comfort zone (p. 85)."
"Only rarely does it seem that the Lord calls people to serve in callings where there is no need for growth and humble reliance upon the Lord (p. 86)."
"This work is not yours and mine alone (p. 87)."
"The Lord will indeed make our burdens light as we have the faith to accept his call (p. 87)."
"'God does not begin by asking about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 88).'"
"Blessings come from the struggle (p. 89)."
"The lightening of Job's burden came as the Lord communed with him (p. 92)."
"'As you labor to know God... as you invest your time... you will indeed find that 'his angels have charge concerning thee'... It probably won't come quickly, but there is purpose in the time it takes. Cherish your spiritual burdens because God will converse with you through them' (Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 92)."
"Not only did the Atonement lighten Alma's burden of guilt but it transformed him (p. 95)."
"Being one of Jesus' disciples is not what makes life difficult; living in a mortal world is what makes it difficult! Jesus' call to come unto him is a call for us to let him guide us, help us, and comfort us as we struggle with the burdens of mortality (p. 102)."
"Choosing to come unto Jesus and become his disciples does not free us from the burdens of mortality (p. 103)."
"As we learn of him, serve him, and willingly take up his cross, the reality of his rest... will be ours to enjoy both here and hereafter (p. 104)."
"The most important invitation ever given to the human family: 'Come unto me' (Matthew 11:28, p. x)."
"There are times in all our lives when deep sorrow or suffering or fear or loneliness makes us cry out for the peace which only God Himself can bring (p. 1)."
"Matthews Gospel 'is a book of invitation, summoning the reader to seek God's kingdom and righteousness (6:33), to come to Jesus and experience rest (11:28), to hear his words and act on them (7:24), to understand the word and bear fruit (13:23), and to live a life of good works that brings glory to the Father in heaven (5:16)' (p. 2)."
"For those who desire to be disciples, who want to be bound to Jesus Christ with his yoke, Jesus' invitation implies and assumes that we come to him completely (p. 2)."
"'To come unto Christ is not satisfied by a mere confession or declaration of belief in Him. It means to follow Him in order to become as He is' (Dallin H. Oaks, p. 3)."
"'After ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?... Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ' (2 Nephi 31:19-20, p. 3)."
"'The Lord's desire that we come unto Him and be wrapped in His arms is often an invitation to repent. 'Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you' (Alma 5:33)... For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult' (Neil L. Andersen, p. 4)."
"'Some grind to a halt under the weight of overload and exhaustion... We wouldn't lose momentum in these ways if more of us could live every day as truly consecrated disciples of Christ, rather than just being active in Church. Those who are well-intentioned but stuck in mere activity wonder why the joy of the journey has waned, perhaps without realizing that they have stopped growing spiritually. When the growth stops, so does the joy' (Bruce C. Hafen, p. 6)."
"Jesus requires no prerequisites as we begin our journey to him. The invitation is in fact to those who labor and are heavy laden (p. 8)."
"The modern world, with the invention of electricity, has extended the length of our days so we can fill them up with more things to do... it seems we can never escape, even for a moment (p. 9)."
"'I think that when we are affluent... we ought to be very, very generous... and give... perhaps... ten times more where we are in a position to do it' (Spencer W. Kimball, p. 10)."
"The Lord does not require complete self-denial. He does not want us to live in a cave or in a desert place, rejecting all pleasures, comforts, and relationships, because self-denial is a form of selfishness--a focus on self instead of on Christ (p. 11)."
"What Jesus offers is more than the 'rest' we can obtain by clearing the calendar... What Jesus promises is something more profound (John 14:27). This blessing itself comes through Jesus' infinite and eternal Atonement. Elder Tad R. Callister observed, 'Among its many blessings, the Atonement brings peace. It not only cleanses us, but it consoles us' (p. 12)."
"'For I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light' (Matthew 11:29-30, p. 12)."
"'When we exert enough spiritual energy to move closer to the Savior, the good news is that He then moves closer to us, more than doubling our motion by joining it with His' (Bruce C. Hafen, p. 13)."
"Elder James E. Talmage described verses 28-30 as 'one of the grandest outpourings of spiritual emotion known to man' (p. 15)."
"It is therefore significant that in a Gospel where works-righteousness is so prominent, Matthew also includes an important counterbalance for those who feel the weight of such responsibility. The counterbalance expressed in Matthew 11:28-30 is just as important for modern readers as it was to Matthew's original audience in the first century (p. 16)."
"At the turning point of this chiasmus is the invitation to take Jesus' yoke and learn about and from him. His yoke is not that of a tyrant, for he is meek and lowly in heart. He does not ask us to take his yoke so he can load additional burdens on us. Rather, he asks us to take his yoke because he loves us, because he wants to help us, because he wants us not just to endure mortality but to enter into a fulness of God's glory, both here and in the eternities (p. 17)."
"Jesus' knowledge of God did not come from learning about him through human effort or study... Jesus most likely did not own a set of scriptures (p. 21)."
"We will come to know the Father when we accept Jesus' invitation... knowing the Son is an important aspect of coming to know the Father and entering into his rest (D&C 84:24, p. 23)."
"The telling of the Sabbath day story immediately following the announcement of the special blessing that will come to those who accept Jesus' invitation is to demonstrate how his offer to give us peace and to lighten our burdens works in a real-life situation. It also reveals why we should accept Jesus' invitation to come unto him and to learn of him. Finally, it tells us why we can rely on Jesus and trust that he is able to fulfill the promise he has so graciously offered (p. 25)."
"The Torah principle that allowed the poor to pluck grain from a landholder's field also demonstrated God's mercy as he provided the stranger and the poor with food to eat. Combined, the Sabbath and plucking grain provided true rest, that is, freedom from work and freedom from hunger (p. 30)."
"These heavy burdens and human-constructed yokes weight us down and burn us out. In the story of the Sabbath day, Matthew provides an example of how Jesus lightens the burdens that come as a result of taking upon us the false traditions and values of our age--freeing us to live out God's original will (p. 35)."
"Sometimes a disciple is described as an apprentice, which emphasizes not only the responsibility of the master but also the formal indenture of the disciple to the master. Discipleship, therefore, denotes a strong association of commitment... Commitment to discipleship usually comes at a cost. Although Jesus is often portrayed with open arms welcoming all into his circle, he also makes some very pointed statements about the price of discipleship. Because these sayings are scattered throughout the Gospels, it is easy for the casual reader to overlook them or miss their significance, but it is important that modern readers also recognize the nuance of Jesus' teachings (p. 39)."
"Ultimately, Christian discipleship is about cultivating a relationship and having a deep connection with both God the Father and with his Son. In the Great Intercessory Prayer, Jesus prayed, 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent' (John 17:3). But the idea is not just that we know about them; it is about knowing them from personal experience (p. 40)."
"We must know about Christ because it is essential to continue the journey, but it is not the destination. Only when we have... experienced the pure love of Christ, charity, will we... truly be his disciple (p. 41)."
"The Father's will, and the prerequisite to entering the kingdom, is to know the Son... but discipleship is about knowing him through experience (p. 41)."
"Following Jesus as a disciple means following him not just when it is convenient, and not just when we can see the immediate tangible benefits, but also when following him means persecution, denial of comforts, and even death (p. 44)."
"'Jesus is... a leader. He does not do something for those who do nothing. Instead he commands, 'Follow me'... Discipleship is a doing of what is right, no matter how irksome the privations, no matter how great the dangers. Disciples are not 'seated spectators watching from the grandstand.' Disciples are those who are actively engaged in the cause of building the kingdom, even when it is inconvenient or difficult or painful. That is part of the cost of discipleship (p. 44)."
"Being a disciple is not just about consecrating peripheral aspects of our lives to God but also consecrating those things that are most important to us (p. 45)."
"Everything else (even the second great commandment) is ancillary to the first commandment to love God with 'all of thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind' (Matthew 22:37, p. 46)."
"'Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach and command you' (p. 46)."
"Jesus' invitation to 'come' is frequently used as a call to discipleship, which is sometimes accepted and sometimes rejected (p. 47)."
"The call to follow Jesus was, first and foremost, a call to minister to others (p. 48)."
"Not everyone, however, was willing to leave everything behind and respond to the Savior. For some the costs of discipleship were more than they were willing to sacrifice (p. 48)."
"Instead of inviting his audience to 'Come, follow me,' in this instance Jesus invites them to 'Come unto me.' This was the same invitation that Jesus repeatedly extended when he came to the New World as recorded in 3 Nephi 11 (p. 49)."
"Note that the invitation to 'come' in Matthew 11:28 and 3 Nephi is not a call to minister to others by preaching and healing... Rather, it is an invitation to 'come unto him.' The implication is that he invites them to come unto him so that he can minister unto them. Ministering to others was one of the hallmarks of Jesus' mortal ministry. In his great vision of that ministry, Nephi 'beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory' (1 Nephi 11:28)... He taught his disciples that unlike other leaders, he came to earth, not to be ministered to, 'but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many' (Matthew 20:28) (p. 50)."
"Jesus' Atonement was not just for our sins; it was also for our pains, afflictions, temptations, and infirmities!... The invitation... to 'come unto me' is... 'crucial. It is the key to the peace and rest we seek' (Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 55)."
"'The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar... when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 56)."
"The blessings that Jesus promises those who make the commitment to follow him and who are willing to embark upon the journey of discipleship.... (1) that they will have rest, (2) that Jesus' yoke is easy, and (3) that his burden is light (p. 56)."
"'Membership in the Church is not for the idler. He who seeks an easy road to salvation must go elsewhere' (Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 57)."
"'A perfect brightness of hope'... 'permits us to 'press forward' even when dark clouds oppress' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 58)."
"Note that Jesus' promise does not necessarily guarantee an immediate reward (p. 58)."
"Here the term rest clearly refers to the promised land, a place where they could put down roots and not have the constant stress and effort of traveling. It took the Israelites forty years to get to the place where they were to enter into this rest... it took forty years of wandering in the wilderness, experiencing trials and tribulations, for the Israelites to work out who they were and to demonstrate their willingness to be obedient to their God (p. 59)."
"What was the rest that the Israelites failed to receive? Doctrine and Covenants 84 gives us a clue... 'rest is the fulness of his glory' (D&C 84:19-24, p. 60)."
"Don't confuse the world's definitions of rest with that of Jesus' promise (p. 61)."
"Alma taught that those of his day who had entered into 'the rest of the Lord' 'could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence' (Alma 13:12, p. 63)."
"Matthew 11:28-30 is immediately followed by two Sabbath stories. It is significant that in these scriptures the concept of rest is most frequently tied to that of the Sabbath day, which... commemorates God's determination to rest following his creative labors (p. 64)."
"'Keeping the Sabbath day holy is much more than just physical rest. It involves spiritual renewal and worship' (James E. Faust, p. 64)."
"In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Sabbath is defined as a 'day appointed unto you to rest from your labors,' with its purpose also being 'that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world' (p. 65)."
"The Sabbath day is often called a day of rest... because we can participate in those activities that will help us maintain a repentant state and prepare us to receive a fulness of God's glory (p. 65)."
"The promise of rest will be more fully realized after the Resurrection in the kingdom of God (p. 66)."
"Though the promise of a heavenly rest if real, it is important to remember that the promise is also available here and now while we are still in mortality... If we think of Jesus' promise in Matthew only in terms of a heavenly reward, we might fail to recognize the myriad of ways that he seeks to bless us here and now (p. 68)."
"'The ancient prophets speak of 'entering into God's rest'; what does it mean? To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. We know of the doctrine that it is of God... The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into 'God's rest,' and he need not fear the vagaries of men, nor their cunning craftiness... Reference is made to the spiritual rest and peace which are born from a settled conviction of the truth in the minds of men. We may thus enter into the rest of the Lord today, by coming to an understanding of the truths of the gospel' (Joseph F. Smith, p. 69)."
"We are at peace with our testimony of the gospel and understand that it is all right to set aside some unanswered questions for a time because we understand that eventually all things will be revealed and understood (p. 70)."
"'O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed?... My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes' (D&C 121:7-8, p. 71)."
"'We would not accept the yoke of Christ; so now we must tremble at the yoke of Ceasar' (Fulton J. Sheen, p. 75)."
"'Consecration... is not shoulder-shrugging acceptance, but, instead, shoulder-squaring to better bear the yoke... It would change the entire Church if in every ward, we could have just three or four more families who become truly consecrated disciples of Jesus Christ instead of just being active in the Church' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 76)."
"'We talk often about the distinction between being active in the Church and being inactive. We should perhaps also talk more about the additional difference between being active and being a truly consecrated disciple' (Bruce C. Hafen, p. 76)."
"We may wonder how Jesus' yoke can be easy. How does choosing to wear it daily become a blessing to us (p. 77)?"
"'Christ's yoke, when fully and squarely placed upon us, is much lighter than the weight of sin. No burden is as heavy as the burden of the 'natural man'!' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 78)"
"'Those of us who fail in one way or another almost always do so because we carry unnecessary and heavy baggage. Thus overloaded, we then feel sorry for ourselves' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 78)."
"'Real adoration of Jesus as our Savior but also as the perfect leader will lead us to emulation of Him' (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 79)."
"We, as disciples, become lifelong learners (p. 80)."
"Jesus gives us an easy yoke, creating a light burden because he bears it with us... Jesus turned the world upside down (p. 80)."
"How can a burden be light (p. 81)?"
"Many times the Lord makes our burdens lighter not by removing them but by strengthening us so that we are better able to bear them (p. 83)."
"Part of being a disciple and coming unto Christ is a willingness to allow our will to be swallowed up in his will, just as Christ has allowed his will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father... We are blessed when we are able to recognize the complete tapestry of ways that the hand of God is manifest in our lives (p. 84)."
"We may feel inadequate to fulfill the responsibilities of the calling, or it may be that those responsibilities will take us out of our comfort zone (p. 85)."
"Only rarely does it seem that the Lord calls people to serve in callings where there is no need for growth and humble reliance upon the Lord (p. 86)."
"This work is not yours and mine alone (p. 87)."
"The Lord will indeed make our burdens light as we have the faith to accept his call (p. 87)."
"'God does not begin by asking about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 88).'"
"Blessings come from the struggle (p. 89)."
"The lightening of Job's burden came as the Lord communed with him (p. 92)."
"'As you labor to know God... as you invest your time... you will indeed find that 'his angels have charge concerning thee'... It probably won't come quickly, but there is purpose in the time it takes. Cherish your spiritual burdens because God will converse with you through them' (Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 92)."
"Not only did the Atonement lighten Alma's burden of guilt but it transformed him (p. 95)."
"Being one of Jesus' disciples is not what makes life difficult; living in a mortal world is what makes it difficult! Jesus' call to come unto him is a call for us to let him guide us, help us, and comfort us as we struggle with the burdens of mortality (p. 102)."
"Choosing to come unto Jesus and become his disciples does not free us from the burdens of mortality (p. 103)."
"As we learn of him, serve him, and willingly take up his cross, the reality of his rest... will be ours to enjoy both here and hereafter (p. 104)."
December 14, 2024
A few good quotes:
"If many of us living in western society were to put everything we own in our front yard and compare it to what other people living around the world own, we would likely be astonished at the remarkable contrast. In modern western society we collect an amazing amount of stuff that takes time, room, and resources to own, store, protect, and use - a remarkable cost. Still, many of us, who already have sufficient for our needs, look at the man or woman living in a bigger house with more stuff than we have and feel deprived. We forget that in comparison to most people who have ever lived on earth, we are truly rich. Media highlights the super rich, and we begin to compare ourselves with that infinitesimal fraction of the world's population. Sometimes, because we fail to see that we are already a blessed people, we fail to generously share our abundance because we say in our hearts that we do not have enough stuff yet!
"President Spencer W. Kimball's call to greater discipleship through a generous fast offering still speaks to us today: 'I think that when we are affluent, as many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous...' [As] described in the Book of Mormon: 'And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely' (Alma 1:27). It is important to recognize that the Lord wants a people who are 'neat and comely,' a people who enjoy beauty, refinement, and the good things of the earth (D&C 59;16-20)." pp 10-11
"Our responsibility then is to repent and remain humble, understanding that we need the Atonement to help us attain rest. The Atonement enables us to OBTAIN repentance as we confess our sins and participate in baptism, and it helps us to MAINTAIN a repentant condition But using the Atonement to maintain a repentant condition takes concerted effort on our part." p 63-64
"'Reference is made to the spiritual rest and peace which are born from a settled conviction of the truth in the minds of men. We may thus enter into the rest of the Lord today, by coming to an understanding of the truths of the gospel. No people is more entitled to this rest - this peace of the spirit - than are the members of the Church.' (Quoting President Joseph F. Smith) In other words, disciples of Jesus Christ may not know the answers to all questions, but that does not cause us to become absorbed in an intellectual frenzy, in which searching for the answer to the unknown may become our focus to the exclusion of the many glorious truths that we do know. Rather, we are at peace with our testimony of the gospel and understand that it is all right to set aside some unanswered questions for a time because we understand that eventually all things will be revealed and understood. In this situation, we are reminded of Jesus' teachings in Matthew immediately before his invitation, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden.' The Lord teaches us that the most imprtant thing, a knowledge of the Father and the Son, which gives us the lens of clarity for so many of our questions, can only be known through revelation (Matthew 11:27)." pp 69-70
"Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, 'God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability." pp 87-88
"If many of us living in western society were to put everything we own in our front yard and compare it to what other people living around the world own, we would likely be astonished at the remarkable contrast. In modern western society we collect an amazing amount of stuff that takes time, room, and resources to own, store, protect, and use - a remarkable cost. Still, many of us, who already have sufficient for our needs, look at the man or woman living in a bigger house with more stuff than we have and feel deprived. We forget that in comparison to most people who have ever lived on earth, we are truly rich. Media highlights the super rich, and we begin to compare ourselves with that infinitesimal fraction of the world's population. Sometimes, because we fail to see that we are already a blessed people, we fail to generously share our abundance because we say in our hearts that we do not have enough stuff yet!
"President Spencer W. Kimball's call to greater discipleship through a generous fast offering still speaks to us today: 'I think that when we are affluent, as many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous...' [As] described in the Book of Mormon: 'And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely' (Alma 1:27). It is important to recognize that the Lord wants a people who are 'neat and comely,' a people who enjoy beauty, refinement, and the good things of the earth (D&C 59;16-20)." pp 10-11
"Our responsibility then is to repent and remain humble, understanding that we need the Atonement to help us attain rest. The Atonement enables us to OBTAIN repentance as we confess our sins and participate in baptism, and it helps us to MAINTAIN a repentant condition But using the Atonement to maintain a repentant condition takes concerted effort on our part." p 63-64
"'Reference is made to the spiritual rest and peace which are born from a settled conviction of the truth in the minds of men. We may thus enter into the rest of the Lord today, by coming to an understanding of the truths of the gospel. No people is more entitled to this rest - this peace of the spirit - than are the members of the Church.' (Quoting President Joseph F. Smith) In other words, disciples of Jesus Christ may not know the answers to all questions, but that does not cause us to become absorbed in an intellectual frenzy, in which searching for the answer to the unknown may become our focus to the exclusion of the many glorious truths that we do know. Rather, we are at peace with our testimony of the gospel and understand that it is all right to set aside some unanswered questions for a time because we understand that eventually all things will be revealed and understood. In this situation, we are reminded of Jesus' teachings in Matthew immediately before his invitation, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden.' The Lord teaches us that the most imprtant thing, a knowledge of the Father and the Son, which gives us the lens of clarity for so many of our questions, can only be known through revelation (Matthew 11:27)." pp 69-70
"Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, 'God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability." pp 87-88
May 3, 2011
The book is basically a study of Matthew 11:28-30. I was able to draw new connections between several seemingly unrelated aspects of my life. I wish I had taken notes while reading. I felt the authors may have been skimping on the last few chapters in comparison to the first several. I felt a little short-changed on the discussion of the easy yoke and light burden. It seemed almost as if they realized they were going to exceed their publisher's prescribed length, and cut it short.
I wouldn't mind owning this book if it weren't so expensive. I just think charging $18.99 for a 100-page book is a bit excessive. If I happen across it at a lower price, I'd love to have it to refer back to. As it stands now, I'll be taking it back to the library. :(
I wouldn't mind owning this book if it weren't so expensive. I just think charging $18.99 for a 100-page book is a bit excessive. If I happen across it at a lower price, I'd love to have it to refer back to. As it stands now, I'll be taking it back to the library. :(
November 20, 2013
4 stars for research and content but 2 stars for presentation. I guess I was expecting a less scholarly book than what I got. I should have paid more attention to who the authors were. Most of this was over my head and somewhat soporific. I hate to say that about a book based on an in-depth study of Jesus' words (specifically Matthew 11:28-30). I learned a couple interesting things like the fact that those verses are an example of chiasmus--I never noticed that before. But I mostly felt like I was sitting in a required lecture for a topic I didn't understand. Maybe I need more study before I reach this point? Or maybe it's for those that think more deeply? I can't quite put my finger on it. Overall, great topic and only truth is taught, but it's not my kind of doctrine teacher.
January 31, 2011
This book gave me a greater understanding of, hope for and appreciation of the type of REST Jesus offers us as well as what I must do to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Of course, living with the co-author in Israel 20+ years ago let me "listen" to her voice as she (and Prof. Holzapfel) taught beautifully from the scriptures! Thanks, Gaye, for writing a beautiful and uplifting book and I'll get you to sign it, soon.
August 14, 2016
I was a little surprised I didn't like this book more than I did. I love this author. I have heard him speak numerous times and have read several of his books. I wish I could have given it a 3.5 star rating. There were some things in the beginning that were really profound to me, as well as some things at the end that really touched me. I didn't find the middle to be quite so inspiring. However, as I said, there were several things in the book that did have a pretty big impact.
December 22, 2011
I am disappointed that the co-author, Gaye Strathearn, is not given credit in the short byline. I've heard her speak and this book bears a lot of her influence. It was amazing to me how they could take a short verse of scripture and pull so much from it. I will never read those words the same way again.
March 28, 2014
This book encourages us to turn our problems over to the Lord, and in exchange He will make our burdens seem lighter. My favorite quote is "God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability." Nice little book (104 pages).
September 28, 2014
I enjoyed learning in this book about how our burdens can be lightened through following Christ. The authors are BYU professors, and Gaye Strathearn is in my ward, so I already know and love her as a speaker and writer and friend. She is not into tooting her own horn, so I was glad I found out about this book from another friend.
November 29, 2010
I loved this book. I need some spiritual inspiration. I am grateful that I picked up this book.
June 20, 2014
This was more like a 2.5 star for me. I just felt like it was too dry - more of a showcase for the author's doctrinal knowledge than anything actually practical in a time of tragedy.
June 30, 2011
shorter than I expected, but a good read.
April 11, 2011
One of the best books on the Atonement and building a relationship with the Savior that I have read. Loved it. Plan on reading it again, and probably again...
February 23, 2016
The authors delve into scripture and counsel from latter-day prophets to look at what it really means to "come unto the Savior," including the costs and blessings of discipleship.
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