rest

Wednesday, January 12, 2011 (7:40 a.m.)

Awesome God,

What a l-o-n-g night! Lots of time to think and plan and alphabetize cities! Thank You Lord that even in the midst of not being able to get back to sleep, my thoughts kept going to You. Thank You Lord for the rest that’s found in You.

Thank You that while I thought I was going to come to talk with You about separating the stuff there is for me to let go of, I find instead the desire to know more about the rest that is found only in You.

(8:51 a.m.)

Following this brief intermission of a quick breakfast and dish washing, I’m back to learn more about resting in You. I confess Lord, I believe I have been doing exactly that these past many weeks. I turn to You far more readily. The things that used to consume my thoughts and concerns have moved out of the way of Your presence with me. Thank You for this Dearest Lord. Thank You for a renewed eager [agog] ness in wanting to spend time getting to know You even more.

Two verses speak to me this morning concerning rest. Matthew 11:28 where Jesus calls out, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” And Exodus 33:14 where You Yourself promise Moses, “I will personally go with you, Moses. I will give you rest – everything will be fine for you.”

In looking deeper into these verses in other translations, I find the word rest being interchanged with victory, success, and peace. Lord, You are amazing! I tend to see things as rather cut and dried and then You start peeling back the layers of my understanding. Before I know it, I am very readily confessing that I don’t know what I think I know. Thank You for this Lord. What a limited world we would be living in if one such as I could understand it OR You!

The passage in Exodus is surrounded by Your people’s rebellion (the golden calf), Moses’ prayer on their behalf, Your judgment upon them and finally restored fellowship. Prior to this is an article [Illustrated Bible Handbook] about Old Testament Priesthood which points to one on New Testament Priesthood.

Where ‘the OT priests represented God to man, and man to God’, ‘in the NT we see all these functions carried out by Jesus.’ In the NT Priesthood ‘Jesus is able to perfectly represent God to man, communicating to us by His Living Word in a voice we can recognize in our every today.’ This excites me Lord. I am presently experiencing rest/peace in You! This is new for me and I am truly enjoying and rejoicing in its freedom!

The very next sentence has me singsonging a phrase from Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. “At the same time He [You, Jesus! J] stands in God’s presence to guarantee us access, forgiveness and aid.” Access, forgiveness and aid – oh my! Oh Most Dear and Blessed Lord. It IS in Your access, forgiveness and aid that I find rest!

Back in Exodus 33 (12) Moses spoke with You, reminding You that You had said You were his friend and that he had found favor before You. In verse 13 (TLB) he asks You, “please, if this is really so, guide me clearly along the way You would want me to travel so that I will understand You and walk acceptably before You.”

Lord, I must admit, I don’t even want to understand You as much as I want to trust You! We can call it blind faith if we want, but I am truly seeing and believing the changes You are making in our lives and I absolutely want to walk acceptably before You.

This desire leads me straight over to Micah 6:8 where we are reminded that “the Lord has already told you what is good, and this is what He requires: to do what is right (act justly), to love mercy and to walk humbly with Your God.” And herein I find my rest Dearest Lord. Always, ever in You. Thank You Lord. I love You. Amen.

(705 words ~ 10:02 a.m.)