rest

perpetual motion

Posted on by Grace Day

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’ ” (Isaiah 30:15)

That definitely seems to be true of our current culture – we will “have none of it.” We want nothing to do with being still or being quiet. We are in perpetual motion – always in a hurry to go somewhere in order to do some urgent thing. We don’t stop. Maybe that’s because our surroundings don’t stop. Our culture is awake twenty-four/seven now. Some places are open twenty-four hours, they never close. TV doesn’t shut off anymore and social media is always awake. FOMO is more prevalent than ever before.

We are never still and we are never quiet. We complain that we can’t connect with God, meanwhile we are perpetually in motion pursuing many other things. We lament that we don’t hear God speaking to us even while our ears are occupied with whatever is coming through our EarPods or our headphones, continuous music or continuous conversation and comment about something. All of it a constant distraction from what really matters. Of course, you and I can become distracted without the aid of EarPods, TV, social media and all the various kinds of screen time. Jesus’s encounter with sisters Mary and Martha, which occurred centuries in the past, reminds me that distractions have always existed, long before technology provided us with new ones. Mary and Martha’s story unfolded like this –

“As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ ” (Luke 10:38-42)

Did you catch that? Martha was distracted – not by screen time, not by her social media, but simply by the task of preparing a meal for a guest in their home. You see, there have always been plenty of distractions to derail us, long before the advent of TV or of computers or of smart phones. That day, Martha was in perpetual motion, trying to get everything she thought necessary for a proper meal completed. However, Mary “was sitting” and not just anywhere. We are told “Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.” “Sitting” didn’t mean that Mary was idle or that she was wasting her time. Mary was listening to every word that Jesus spoke. But in order for her to hear Jesus, Mary had to draw near to Him and then she had to be still in order to hear what Jesus was saying.

When I’m in perpetual motion, it’s harder, if not impossible, for me to hear the voice of my Savior. Like Martha, I am too often distracted by many other things. This must be why King David wrote these words describing how God helps you and me to get to a place where we can hear His voice and we can spend time with Him.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

I know I often long to have my frazzled soul restored but I am unwilling to stop, to be still and to take the time to listen for God’s voice. God wants to restore me, the Psalm says so. That’s why God “makes me lie down” in a peaceful place for rest, in a “green” place, implying lots of food to refresh and to restore my hungry body and my hungry soul. Green plants are food for my body. God’s words are food for my soul.

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)

God leads me by those “quiet waters” so that without all the noise surrounding me, I will have a chance to hear His voice. God invites me to “be still and know.” His call is an open invitation. Today is as good a day as any for me to cease my perpetual motion and to instead experience my Creator’s rest and restoration. Then I can say with the psalmist –

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.” (Psalm 62:1)

sincerely, Grace Day

a popular lie

Posted on by Grace Day

Probably because I am pondering my last post about being tired or maybe because I am tired, I find myself thinking about this age-old and very common saying – “no rest for the weary.” Sounds true enough, feels true enough, BUT – I don’t have to accept this as true. Mainly because it’s not true. God’s word tells me something different and that gives me hope. There is rest for the weary. Jesus made this clear when He issued this invitation –

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

This invitation suggests rest is available for me and for you. God’s offer of rest has been extended to one and all. And not just physical rest, but God offers “rest for our souls” – the best kind of rest and what we most need. The question is – do I want to take advantage of this opportunity? This call to come away and find rest is not something new. King David understood that God was the provider of the rest that he needed when he was battle weary and worn out. It was then that He wrote these words-

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1–3)

There it is again. God not only provides for my physical needs, with the nourishment of green pastures and the refreshment of quiet waters and a safe place to lie down, but God also “restores my soul” – which is much more important. It is essential for sustaining my life. Nobody else can do that for me. The world certainly can’t do it. Other people don’t have the power to grant me the kind of rest that restores my soul. This is something King David had figured out I guess because he wrote these words –

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (Psalm 62:1-2)

God says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” It’s an open, ongoing invitation. Why don’t I take God up on His generous offer more often? Why do I just keep on going instead of coming to Him with my weariness as He invites me to do? Why don’t I follow where He leads? He wants to lead me into green pastures and beside still waters for the rest and restoration that He knows I need and that only He can give me. Isaiah’s words confirm God’s provision of rest and care for us –

“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)

In Jeremiah I read this – “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘ . . . I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.’ ” (Jeremiah 31:25)

Today, I will not believe the lie that there is no rest, no restoration available to me. Instead, I will believe the truth. God’s word is truth. “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) And God’s word says –

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)

God, Himself, does not grow weary BUT – He gives rest and strength to those of us who, like me, do grow tired and weary. My hope is in God and He says He will renew, refresh, restore and revive me through the rest that only He can give my body, mind and spirit. Time to follow my Heavenly Father to some green pastures and still waters. Be back soon.

sincerely, Grace Day