Rest for restoration

In Rest part one, we talked about God’s example, His command to rest.  We also talked about our inherent nature as His creation to rest. Let’s explore further why God calls us to rest.

Rest comes from following God (Ps 23:2; Heb 4:10, Ecc 4:6, Ex 16:16-27, Mark 6:31, Ps 127:2)
“For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His” (Heb 4:10).  God gives specific, direct instructions to rest.  During the wilderness wandering, the Israelites were told to gather manna six days and prepare for the seventh by gathering twice as much on the sixth day.  When they gathered more than they were suppose on the other days or went out to gather on the seventh day they found their efforts were in vain.  With this, God taught them to rely on Him to provide.  God will supply the needs of our families, our children and ourselves.  All He asks is that we trust Him by resting as He directs us to do.  I believe the nagging desire to work when we know we should rest comes from Satan trying to steal the very gift gave to us to do so.  Our lack of rest makes us vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks on our minds pushing us to labor in an attempt to fill perceived gaps born out of comparison to other moms, regrets from past missed moments, fears of missing new opportunities or acceptance of other’s expectations by causing us to be weary, distracted and ill prepared for the season to come.  Work during periods of rest is work done in vain.  Work with the potential to spoil our home from unfulfilling unnecessary burdens.  Burdens spurred under a yoke of thinking it all hinges on us, our efforts and our abilities.  This is not His plan. This is the weight of the enemy.  When we rest, we allow God the opportunity to relieve us of these heavy burdens and exchange it for His easy yoke (Matt 11:30).  Trust that while we rest, God is still at work.  “Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps 121:4).   We can hand over to Him what is left undone and trust Him to complete it so rest and rest well.  God is still on the job after you have clocked out for a moment! 

Rest comes from being in His presence
As we seek God, we find Him and receive rest (Matt 11:28).  With Him, we learn what He has for us.  We receive His guidance on what we need to lay down and pick up opening our schedules for rest.   The rest God calls us into offers peace and restoration (Heb 4:3).  In His presence, we find rest (Ex 33:14).  Rest does not mean the task list is complete and it does not mean all conflict is resolved but it does mean that in His presence He prepares a table for us to sit in the midst of our storms (Ps 23:5)!  Rest in Him means along our journeys God will lead us to a place to be restored and refreshed.  In Psalm 23, God is saying that there is no need for you to worry because I am with you, there’s no need to fear about the moments missed or opportunities not taken because with He leads us into a place of rest.  Rest from worry and rest from fretting.  Rest from striving and rest from chasing everything and everyone down a path not made for us.  Follow Him and the plan He has for you and your children and you will find the rest He has designed.

Nurture the seed: "Come to me all who labor and are heavy burden and I will give you rest" Matt 11:28

Sow the seed: Rest in the Lord. Rest because of the Lord. Rest for the Lord.

Until next time,
happy sowing!