REST!

I was standing in church on Sunday morning with my hands raised in worship during the Praise and Worship service, when I suddenly heard that all-familiar, still-small voice on the inside of me say: “REST!”  And as my focus switched from the song we were singing to that soft voice, I simply asked “What… How?”

Well, I can’t say that I received an immediate reply but I did begin to think about all the activities that I have been up to since I moved to Oklahoma on June 17^th.  Come to think of it… since way before I packed up and moved from North Carolina!  Its been kind of a busy and traumatic year for me…  I also realized that for the last few months, I have been pushing myself to do many things… most of them totally new and out of my comfort zone!

A few moments later when the Pastor began to share his sermon, I was drawn out of my rabbit-trail when he suddenly paused and thoughtfully said that there are times that “you just need to find some REST!”  And with that comment, I KNEW that God was trying to tell ME something important… ya think?

The Pastor then switched gears and went on with his next point, but I found myself thinking for the next few days, about what that repeated statement of REST was all about.  I found myself on Monday night totally bored with the movie I was watching on TV and decided to grab my laptop and do some scripture and word searches in my Bible study program.

When I searched the word “REST,” the first verses that caught my attention was when Jesus was teaching in Matthew 11:28-30 when He declared:

“Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 

Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves 

Because my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  (God’s Word ©)

I discovered a couple of interesting thoughts when I looked up the original Greek meanings to the words YOKE and REST.  According to Strong’s, a yoke represents “a balance or a pair of scales.”  That immediately gave me the picture of something that is equally balanced and steady with a firm foundation… Hummmm… not exactly the way I have felt since Piper’s homegoing.  The Biblical Illustrator says that it is descriptive of being in “The School of Christ.”  That made sense to me as I could see how being under His yoke would be like submitting to His will for my life… something I’ve been trying very hard (probably too hard) to do for the last year.

According to Strong’s, to REST in the Greek seems to be pretty much the same as in modern English.  It is referred to as being in “repose, to be exempt, to refresh.”  Thayer’s was a little more meaningful to me stating that it entails the ability to “to keep quiet and of calm and patient expectation.”  Which, once again… is something I find myself vacillating in… doing well one moment and then spiraling down into the opposite direction the next!

Sometimes I have perfect peace about where I am in life and then a little while later find that I would love to scream because I miss my Piper so much!  But God’s Word is interesting… I found myself feeling quite unsettled at seven this morning, as I walked into the bathroom to wash my face and make myself a bit presentable so that I wouldn’t scare off any neighbors with my rough appearance (I started growing out my beard again and its in the scruffy stage!) when I took the dog out… in the dark!  I’m not sure it helped though, as we met a woman walking to the dumpster and when I said “Good Morning” she simply stared at me, tossed her bag, turned and hurriedly walked away… without saying a word!

But I digress… When I stepped into the restroom, I suddenly uttered the word “REST”, spoke out what I could recall of Matthew 11:28-30, pictured His yoke perfectly balanced on my shoulders and felt, well… STEADY, PEACEFUL and BALANCED!  Kind of incredible wouldn’t you say?  My mind was still feeling a bit unsettled with my situation in life, but yet, when I focused on His Word, I was overcome with a sense of balance!  I think I even walked straighter and with more confidence!

So… I’m learning to slow down, to stop pushing myself so hard, to stop trying to be everything to everyone around me… and just quietly and restfully let the Lord be my guide... with His perfect timing!  What do you think about that?  

Does anyone reading this today feel like they are in a similar set of circumstances in life?  Well, my suggestion to you would be what the small-still voice inside of me instructed me to do… to REST in Him, to take His perfectly balanced yoke upon the shoulders of your life, enter into the school of Christ and allow Him to fill you with His REST, His peace, His joy and His directions.  Then sit back in His position of “calm and patient expectation.”  Sounds good to me… How ‘bouts you?

I know what I’m expecting today… what are you expecting?