What does rest mean? Freedom from activity or labor; peace of mind or spirit. (n) or to cease from action or motion, to take relief or respite. ( v)
As I was seeking out what the Word of God had to tell me about rest, I was surprised by this verse. I think it is one of my new favorites.
This is what the Lord says: ‘Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘ No , that’s not the road we want! ‘ Jeremiah 6:16
Why is it SO hard for us to rest? I think a lot these days about the things that were important enough for Alan to talk about. He was a man of few words. By, that I mean he didn’t go in much for small talk and he didn’t feel the need to give his opinion on many topics. He did share regularly with anyone in His presence ,His love for God’s words and its transforming power. He talked about his sadness that the church as a whole often didn’t know what was in it which led to him randomly gifting The One Year Bible to many people through the years.
He also was very passionate about the busyness that we allow to consume us. He didn’t speak of this from a position of being better than others but from a position of ” been there , done that.” When our kids were small we were extremely busy. Sports and other activities were keeping us busy everyday of the week. The Lord began convicting us that we were spending a lot of time on things that were not eternal and they were taking us away from each other.
Are sports bad? Is what keeps you busy bad? Maybe not. They can even be good. However I believe we need to give ourselves permission to ask ourselves how we are spending our time? And then ask… what are we going to do about it? Are we spending it on eternal things? Are we spending it on self? Is it taking us away from each other?
When we come to a crossroads in life are we just pushing through it, or are we being still enough to listen?
I love being outside with Ava when she hears an interesting sound. She literally freezes and holds her tiny hand up to her cheek and says, ” Listen! ” Then we have a lively dialogue on what we hear and how amazing it is!
Why don’t we do that? Why is it SO hard to STOP? Why can’t we freeze in our tracks and listen to the Spirits voice? But, it is uncomfortable. Everyone else is still moving swiftly like crowds through an airport terminal. We might get passed by in life or at the very least stared at, because stopping is not what you do? Don’t you know we can do it all? We can have it all! We just need to keep going. Whatever you do don’t stop!
Jesus said , ” Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for awhile.” Mark 6:31
He wants to tell us amazing things don’t you know?
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows.
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
I have been hearing the Lord calling me to come away with Him since my husband’s recent journey to Heaven. My flesh tells me to be practical, keep going, don’t stop, just go, go , GO! But I want to be like Ava, I want to freeze in my tracks, put my hand up to my face and say,
” Listen!” my Savior is calling me! I want to hear what amazing wonderful things he would have me know. I want to be led by peaceful streams. I want Him to renew my strength!
So, come with me my friend. Let’s go to our Father and at least ask Him what it looks like for us to rest. Maybe you are at a crossroads, or maybe you are so stuck in a pattern of living you wish you were at a crossroads so you could see your way out of it. Will you join me? Will you join me in asking for the old and godly way so that we can walk in it?
But we live in a different time you say… Times they are changing and we must change with them!
Father, as the times change may we always make time to seek your face! You are the God who is the same! You are the same, yesterday, today and forever! ( Heb. 13:9) Show each of us individually what it looks like to come away with you. Let us be brave and courageous and rest for we know that it takes courage to rest just like it does to fight. For you tell us ,
” The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still!”
We ask for the old and godly way Father, we desire to travel it’s path so that we might find rest for our souls!
