A Place of Rest

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Today's passage: Matthew 11: 25-30 
Memory Verse: Matt. 11: 28

Wake up. Work.  Come home.  Take care of the kids.  Church.  Work at church.  In between, encourage others.  Pray for and undergird others. Find time to sleep.  Wake up and do it all again.  It sounds cold and lifeless, but these are the realities of living a life that's totally devoted to the Lord.  And this is the reason we are also called to make spending time to refuel in the Lord's presence a priority.

In today's western world, our lives may not be as perilous with the worries of outright persecution the way it was for the early believers.  But it can be just as stressful for those of us who're committed to giving our lives away so that we can be used by God.  But there is a place of rest that the Father offers us.  He tells us to come unto Him, all those who labor and are heavy laden.  That means He is not disappointed when we admit we're tired.  As a matter of fact, He expects it.  Why else would He be giving us such an invitation?

The catch here is to find our way back into His arms, running to Him rather than away from Him.  He's the One Who created us, so Who better to restore everything we've given out?  Too often we try to find our own means of rest that mostly leaves God out.  By the time we realize we need to get poured into, we're already past the point of being depleted of everything we've got left.  So when God says, "Come and I'll give you rest," know that He never makes idle promises, but rather will fill us with more than enough strength to get going again.

Today, I pray that you're able to let go of the wheel long enough to let God take over.  Find some time and a place to regroup-- even if it means taking a day off from work.  Get still before the Lord and let Him restore you.   You spend so much time being a blessing to others-- let this time be a blessing to you.  I pray that the Lord will give you back one hundredfold what you've given.  Find rest in the Lord today.

Prayer: Father, here I am, coming to You for some much- needed rest.  There's nothing else I'd rather be doing than serving in Your kingdom.  But when my physical body has endured all it can, please receive me in Your arms and restore what I need to give out again.  Thank You for this place of rest.  I give You praise in Jesus' Name.  Amen.