Once upon a time there was a young woman who was the mother of three children. The phone rang one day and a voice on the other end of the phone said, "Honey, it's Mom. I called because I know that you're busy with the kids, and I want to give you some help. I'm going to stop by to clean the house, take care of the baby, and prepare dinner for when the boys get home from school.

"I want you to get ready to go to my beautician, I've paid her already, and she's going to give you 'the works,' your appointment is at 1:00. Give George a call at the office and tell him that you'll meet him at Olive Garden for dinner, it's on me..."

At that point, the young mother interrupted and said, "George, who is George?" The lady replied, "Your husband." She said, "My husband's name is Fred." The lady asked, "Oh. Is this 365-3212?"  The young mother answered, "No this is 365-3213." The caller said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I've got the wrong number."

After a pause, the young mother said, "Does this mean that you're not coming over?"

Do you ever feel like you could use a phone call like that? Do you ever find yourself wishing someone would just come along and take care of things for you so that you can have a little rest?

Our world has become the much like the fantasy world of Alice in Wonderland where the Red Queen of hearts said, "It takes all the running you can do to stay in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that."

That's why what Jesus offers is so very precious. He says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; 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." (Matt. 11:28-29)

It's one of the most beautiful promises in all the Bible. It was a promise made to the Israelites as they headed toward the land of Canaan -- forty years they traveled and traveled in the wilderness, until finally they arrived at a land of rest. And it's the promise made to those of us who are Christians as we look forward to heaven. The Hebrew writer says, "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." (Heb. 4:9).

I don't know about you, but one of the things that I'm most looking forward to when I get to heaven is being able to rest. I'm not talking about sitting down in a Lazy-Boy recliner with my feet propped up and a remote control to a big screen television in my hand. That's not heaven. I just know that heaven will be a place where we won't experience the feeling of being so tired, so utterly worn out. Sometimes when people ask me how I am, I just want to say, "I'm tired. I'm just so very tired." Heaven is going to be place of rest.

"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on...that they may rest from their labors." (Rev. 14:13)

But when Jesus said, "I will give you rest", I think he was talking about more than just heaven...