Rest

Think about all the times you have been short on sleep, or otherwise just plain worn-out, tuckered-out, totally exhausted, emotionally strained and drained. Doesn't your heart cry out, "All I want to do is rest!"

God knows that we need rest. He created us that way, because He Himself "rested" on the seventh day--

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

His commandment to us is also to rest, no exceptions allowed--

Exodus 34:21 " Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.

God followed His own principle in all His dealings with His people, the Israelites--

1 Chronicles 22:9 'Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

God continued to follow His principle of rest right into the New Testament. One example is when Jesus had been tempted by the devil while alone in the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:2)--

Matthew 4:11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

(That must have felt like blessed peace!)

Jesus continued His Father's principle in His training of His own disciples--

Mark 6:31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

Why does God want me to rest? My experience tells me that if I do not rest, I will forget all about my God. When I am hard-pressed, exhausted, and afraid, I feel alone and very agitated. After God rests me (simply by providing me the time and occasion to get a really good night's sleep!), I find that I am still. It is then that I feel God's presence in me. I "hear" Him speaking to me, His Spirit ministers to me, and I am recharged with new ideas and fresh energy. My response is thanksgiving, because rest is so good and so very needful. My response is thanksgiving, because fellowship with God tastes so good and is so very satisfying to my soul.

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Father, Spirit, Lord Jesus. I just want to thank You and praise You and worship You for Your goodness to me. Truly, I had thought that I was carrying my burden all by myself! It had not occurred to me that You would not ask me to do something beyond my abilities without also giving me Your help to do it. Last night You rested me, and this morning I woke up and found You with me, in my heart and mind. You are so good, Lord. I love You and thank You and worship You with all my heart and soul. All because of Jesus. Amen.


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