The implications of Matthew 11:28-29 are that it should be or could be easier. The "it" is our life in Christ. And admittedly, easier is being defined under my terms.
"Come to Me" We briefly looked at "Me" and "To." Over and over I see words, two letter words, that I take for granted because they are just two letter words. To much Scrabble I guess. Although a two letter word played on the right spaces can count for a lot of points. This use of "Me" and "To" appears to be one of those cases where they count for a lot of points.
Webster gives many perspectives of the word come, but I have selected just one. Come: to enter into being or existence; be born: Jesus is saying, "Enter into being," "Come into existence," "Be born." Let's look more closely at the implications of those three invitations and I'm not sure invitations is the right word? There could be the case made for them to be taken as commands and not an invitation.
Enter into being! This goes along with other things God has been sharing with me. Notice it does not say, "enter into doing." For me the opposite of being is doing? I can't just not be... so I do. Jesus, is saying that I must enter, like entering my home at the end of the day. Enter into is more than one foot in the door. I must take my whole self through the door and into my home, closing the door behind me. Enter into being. Once I am into my home I can be... comfortable, relaxed, fed, etc.. As we look at the rest of the words in these verses we will see what being actually looks like as Jesus is talking about.
Come into existence! the opposite of existence is nonexistence. If I do not come into the existence that Jesus has in mind then I will live on the outside in a world of nonexistence. The idea of coming into anything says to me that I will be leaving behind something else. Jesus says that if you really want to exist then leave behind your nonexistence for what is sure to be better. Come into life? Come into life and leave death?
Be born. The idea is that we leave the birth canal and enter into life outside of the womb. And while not spoken the insinuation is that as we are born God is there to care for us as a new born. Again I'm sure we'll get a better picture of this as we get beyond these first three words, "Come to Me."
As for invitation or command..... well you can make the call on that for yourself.
Invitation: something offered as a suggestion
Command: to direct with specific authority or prerogative
The end results of these words "Come to Me," that Jesus spoke, will vary greatly based on whether I view His words as an invitation, something that I can accept or reject, or a command which then makes rejection, disobedience or more simply sin?
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