The invitation

“Come to Me… and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:28–30

As the winter stillness lingers over in Harmonie and the La Motte vineyards, the vines seem quiet, even dormant. This is a resting period for the vines between harvest and bud break which can easily last five months – but this time is far from idle. As the summer’s labour fades and temperatures begin to cool, the vines enter a season of dormancy. This pause is not weakness; it is wisdom.

The vine, having spent itself in fruit-bearing, now draws inward to recover and prepare. But beneath the surface, much is happening. The roots deepen, unseen but alive, drawing strength and storing what is needed for the season to come. For the vines, this is not time wasted – it is a season of resting and preparation.

And so it is with us.
We often measure our lives by visible fruit – progress, productivity, movement. But just like these vines, we too are invited into rhythms of rest and restoration. Not as a pause from purpose, but as a vital part of it.

In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus gives us this gentle invitation:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… you will find est for your souls.”

This is a call not to retreat in fear, but to return to and abide in Him. To lay down what is heavy and rediscover the simplicity of walking closely with Jesus. Not in our strength, but in His presence.

Like the farmer tending the soil in winter, we’re also invited to check the ground of our own
lives:
– Is it nourished?
– Is it anchored in the Word?
– Has it become too dry from striving?

The Lord reminds us through Jeremiah 6:16:

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

In a world that pulls us in a thousand directions, Jesus offers a better way. It begins not with doing, but with being.

“He appointed twelve that they might be with Him…” – Mark 3:14

Before He ever sent them out, He first called them to be with Him. This is the pattern of the Kingdom. Rest precedes fruitfulness. Abiding comes before activity.

At in Harmonie, we’ve seen how sacred this invitation is. Many come weary, stretched thin by leadership, ministry, or life’s pressures. And yet, through stillness, silence, and community, they meet the living God. Often not in loud revelations, but in quiet restoration.


This season, may you respond to the invitation.
To come.
To be with Him.
To walk in the ancient paths.
To rest, that you may flourish.

Because the Vine is never truly idle – nor are those who abide in Him.