Category: Rest

Mark 6:31,32                                                   Quiet Time and Rest

“Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’  He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.  So they left by boat for a quiet place where they could be alone” (NLT).

 

I’m sure most of us can relate to Jeus and His apostles as described in the verse above, but in different circumstances.  Jesus and His disciples had been ministering to crowds of people and had difficulty getting away for even a few hours.  The Christmas season is always busy, especially for Christians, because we take time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the real reason for Christmas celebrations.

This year we sang in our church’s Christmas musical presentation and enjoyed a puppet program put on by our youth the same evening.  It was a great evening of celebration and joy.  And, of course we spent time in rehearsal for the program.  We had two services at a local retirement home, including one with communion and one singing Christmas carols.  Norma and I baked cookies—I helped more this year because of Norma’s broken arm.  (I think they turned out all right.)  We had Christmas dinner at our house for our son who lives in Tucson and his family.  Phone conversations with our sons and their families who live in Colorado Springs and in New Kensington, Pa, were happy times on Christmas Day.  We decorated the house—I should say Norma decorated the house inside until she fell and broke her arm which entailed one hospital visit, and two doctor visits so far.  We did Christmas shopping, most of it on-line this year,  Soooo, like everyone else I know, we need some rest.

I don’t know that we were as busy as Jesus and His disciples were in the Scripture above, but we do need rest.  Unlike Jesus and His disciples, we did have time to eat, and we took good advantage of that time, as we always do at Christmas.  One other difference between us and Jesus and His disciples—we are not going anywhere on a boat.  But we will take time to rest, time to spend in the Word and in long conversations with our Lord.  Whether we do that quietly at home or spend a few days away doesn’t matter as long as we take at least a few days to draw away from the world and focus on the one whose birth we just celebrated.  If we are too busy at Christmas time to focus on Jesus Christ ,we have not celebrated appropriately.  We expect to have time of joy, time of rest, and time of peace with Him for the next few days.  I suggest that you do the same.  Rest in Him!

Hebrews 4:9-11                                                       Obedient Rest

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own works, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience” (NIV).

 

Several months earlier these fields were green, and then became ripe for harvest.  Today they are brown, showing that they have accomplished their purpose—they have produced the harvest.  Their job for this year is done, and now these fields are to rest, holding within themselves the nutrients for the next growing season.  They look restful, not actively doing anything, but in their rest, they are preparing for next year.  Fields that are not given rest eventually become less and less useful, until they become unfruitful.

God gives each of us work to do, work that will result in a harvest that He has  determined.  He grants us the abilities and the anointing to provide a harvest when the seed is planted.  Usually when we have completed a task, some work, or a mission, God gives us time to rest, and while we rest, He builds us up again through His Word, His teaching servants, and in conversation with us.  But we have to recognize that our rest is a time of preparation for a new task, work, or mission, and we must cooperate with His teaching through His Word, His teaching servants, and prayer.  God will not force us to perform tasks for Him, but He provides us with opportunities to serve Him.  When we accept a new assignment, He begins preparing us and anointing us for the assigned work so that the harvest He has planned will be bountiful.

It is important for us to accept the times of rest God provides for us and to be open to what he has to teach us during times of rest.  Lord, make me like a sponge, soaking up all you have for me as I rest.  I look forward to the next planting of seed.