Got Rest?

I was sitting here in the dining room a few moments ago with the bright sunlight streaming in from the front windows as well as bouncing off the tall trees that line our backyard, when I caught a quick movement out of the side of my eye.  When I followed that line of sight, I spotted a little grey squirrel scampering along a small branch way up near the top of one of the trees near the middle of the fence line.

I am always amazed when I see those sure-footed little creatures balancing on swaying branches and jumping from tree to tree about 100 feet off the ground!  To me they are fun to watch but to the dog they must seem like invading marauders out to take over the land!  I think that he has a sixth sense that alerts him to the presence of a squirrel anywhere in the yard.  If there is one out there when we are about to go outback, he takes off like a flash… sometimes even before I can get the sliding door all the way open!  He is getting a little calmer… but I’ve still had to pick up the screen door off the deck and fit it back into its track on the door a few times!

One of the things that I think about when I see the squirrels around the yard is that they hardly ever seem to rest.  Even if they are just sitting on a fence post they are still alert, looking all around and probably getting ready to run and jump when they see Fiver!  He hasn’t caught one yet, but to be honest, I think their luck is going to run out some day!  When he kicks into warp drive, he turns into a 70lb dynamo!

In some respects, I think that I just might have some squirrel genes in me!  I realized the other day that I haven’t really been at rest for at least twelve years since we started Piper’s tests back in 2007 while in Oklahoma.  Back then I was going to school from 8:00AM to noon and then working from 1:00 ‘til 10:00PM.  On days off I was taking Piper to various doctor’s offices, doing homework and always thinking about, praying and keeping a watchful eye on Piper as the sharpness of her abilities started to decline.  And in between all of that, I was literally stuffing myself with God’s Word.  Our youngest daughter JoAnna also assisted her Mom when I wasn’t available.

Once we got back to California, I thought that it would get better but in actuality, it got worse!  To be very honest, I didn’t really begin to feel some beginnings of inner peace until we moved out here.  Not a lot of rest... but definitely some Godly peace.  This may sound weird to some of you, but I didn’t really feel like some semblance of the old me again until the kids kinda talked me into purchasing the Mustang GT convertible in 2014.  I’m not sure what it was… but like I’ve stated before… cars and me just have a special thing going, I guess!  I’ve always had a special vehicle and when I sold my Camaro when we moved to Oklahoma, it was like a part of me went with the car.  The kids must have understood something about me that I didn’t back then!

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus tells us to “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (EMTV)  The word “rest” in verse 28 implies “repose, to refresh, to cause or permit one… to recover and collect his strength.  To keep quiet and of calm and patient expectation.” (Strong’s and Thayer’s Greek Definitions)

I asked my oldest son Josh to drive one time when he was out here visiting because it afforded me a few moments in which I could feel some repose and rest from being “ON ALERT” 24/7 with his Mom’s care.  Now that she is rejoicing and most likely dancing in heaven with the angels (resting is probably the last thing on her mind!) it is still difficult for me to break that habit.  Do you know that after six months, I still roll over first thing EVERY morning and look to her side of the bed to see if she is okay?  Little noises in the house also continue to cause me to look up any time of the day or night to see if she is needing assistance or not!

I like the part of the Greek definition of “rest” that describes it as “quiet, calm and of patient expectation.”  I am s-l-o-w-l-y learning the quiet and calm part of the equation, but feel like I’ve got a leg up on the “patent expectation” area as the Lord taught me much about “expectation” over the course of dealing with Piper’s illness.  It’s all about taking the expectations that He sets forth in His Word and making them yours. 

I was talking aloud to the Lord the other day about that very subject.  I’ve learned to pray to the Lord like I am talking to a best friend (ie; Piper) with whom I can take into my innermost confidence.  I shared with Him that while I, in my natural thinking, can neither see nor understand how my life can ever be normal and maybe even have a hint of happiness in it again… that I have the earnest expectation based on His Word and my past experiences with the way He has worked in me, that good things will eventually come my way.

So, in that respect, I do have a portion of His rest working in me, for I’ve learned to refuse to allow anything to steal that “patient expectation” from me.  How about you?  Do you have any part of His rest dwelling in you?  Check out those definitions again and then take an inner inventory to see what’s working in you.  Lately for me… it has been about taking what little I can find and running with it!  I find that when I expect HIS BEST… no matter how small I may think it to be at the time, I find a portion of His rest that will carry me for miles and miles!

Have a great rest of the week, and as you do, say with me… “I am expecting whatever portion of God’s best working in me, to carry me through to victory today!”