Rest

Finding Rest

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I have found that most of my frustration, stress and anger has its roots down deep in my own personal pride. I get frustrated when I can’t get something accomplished, because it is humbling to admit that something is beyond my ability. Stress keeps me awake at night juggling ideas on how to deal with a broken situation that only God can fix. My anger at people around me usually reflects that I wish they would act differently towards me instead of realizing that only God is in control.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am[f]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

If you are even a little bit like me, then be encouraged; Jesus has some good news for us! In our mailbox today is an invitation to come to Him and learn a better way. Notice, Jesus didn’t say, “Get your act together and get over here!” He gently asks us to come and learn. At times like right now when I am worn down and feeling alone, He opens His arms and calls; “Come sit by the well with me and listen.” There in the silence of His meekness by the still waters of the humility of Jesus is now as always a rest for my soul.

What about you dear brother or sister? Are you ready to rest? There is no more better place of true service than in the quietness by the side of Jesus Christ.

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When Jesus Slept

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If a piece of steel is bent back and forth enough times it will become fatigued to the point of structural failure. Do you sometimes feel distressed to the point of giving up? Jesus’ disciples felt they had reached their breaking point. They had been pressed to the limit day after day often with little sleep and scarcely a moment to eat. All this they had endured because every day Jesus knew what to do next. He healed the sick gave sight to a man who had never been able to see and even raised His friend Lazarus from the grave. But on that night when Jesus took the bread and cup and told them of His coming death they were left in spiritual shock.

Jesus prayed in agony just a stone’s throw away but they fell asleep: and not just once or twice but three times! Their hearts were overwhelmed by fear and sorrow for what lay ahead. Do you feel like His disciples tonight? It is okay. Jesus was the Son of God but not superman and He doesn’t expect us to be either!

Don’t misunderstand He does expect us to watch and pray. But Jesus was weary and rested by the well. Jesus was hungry and ate real food at parties. Jesus knew sorrow and He wept at the grave of His friend. Jesus was so sleepy that He even fell asleep in a boat in a storm! The secret Jesus had was not super strength but rather yielding His weaknesses to God. There He found a strength that carried Him all the way to the cross. We must remember that it was not till after Jesus slept in the boat that He awoke and calmed the storm!

But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Mark 4:38 NKJV

The Active Sabbath

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The blessings of keeping Sabbath are not about inactivity but about being focused on and committed to the special work that God has for us today.

Most Christians believe that because we live in the era of grace, not law the idea of keeping Sabbath is an unnecessary custom. This coupled with the relentless demands of our 24/7 – 21st century world has caused the subject of a Holy day of rest to fall into our collective sea of forgetfulness. But Jesus said quite clearly on multiple occasions that He had come not to abolish the law rather to fulfill it. For example He taught us that refraining from murdering our neighbors was not enough, He said we must deal with the hatred in our hearts. Jesus was in no way implying that in the New Covenant we are now free to murder irritating neighbors! In the same way God has not changed His mind about remembering the Sabbath to keep it holy. When we disregard the Sabbath we are placing a part of our will outside of His. God rests and He waits for us to take notice. When we rush down our paths so immersed in our own busyness we are missing out on our need for quietness. It is in the quietness of Sabbath that we will hear His still small voice. If we pause long enough for the dust to clear we will see Him on the road ahead beckoning us to follow. That is when we may make the shocking discovery of a Holy activity far beyond anything we could come up with on our own. As we enter into our Father’s activities we will find there a yoke of wonderful rest that He has prepared for us to share with Him!