Celebrating Jesus Daily

The Pause that Refreshes

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Come: deute
1) come hither, come here, come
2) interjection, come!, come now!

Labour: kopiao
1) to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief)
2) to labour with wearisome effort, to toil

Heavy laden: phortizo
1) to place a burden upon, to load
2) metaphorically to load one with a burden (of rites and unwarranted precepts)

Rest: anapauo
1) to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strength
2) to give rest, refresh, to give one’s self rest, take rest
3) to keep quiet, of calm and patient expectation

Ana – repetition
Pauo – to pause or quit. Refresh, take rest.


Following Jesus is not about laborious, wearisome religious practices. Addressing the Jews of the day bent down on the inside because of the heavy loads of ritualism placed on them by the Pharisees in their hypocrisy Jesus commands ,“Come follow Me now!”

Stop following those who would place heavy burdens on your soul and refuse to help you carry them. Come to Him right now and He will give you rest.

“Anapauo” – the pause that refreshes. Quit trying to please God through religious observance and ritual. Come to Jesus for relief.

“Ana” denotes repetitive action. Every time you are burdened, every time you are weighed down, come right then to Jesus for
“Pauo” - rest and refreshing. You will find rest for your soul. Every time.


(Greek word definitions from Thayer’s lexicon)