What I really need…

 

Every morning the news brings stories of great tragedies and often great nonsense. As I read Proverbs this morning, these verses touched my thoughts about some of this news and the motivations that cause it:

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (Proverbs 12:15)
The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. (Proverbs 14:15)
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. (Proverbs 14:18)
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23)
A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. (Proverbs 14:30)

Some of the world’s leaders seem to think that they are above anyone else’s ideas. And there are people who believe everything they hear without checking out the facts. Otherwise social media would have fewer postings. On a larger scale, political leaders need to respect the advice of others without going off on their own and creating chaos. 

The last two speak to me as well. I can talk all day about how much work I have, but talking does not get it done. For me, ‘poverty’ is life without any accomplishments just as much as it is life without money or other resources. Talk will not do it for me or for anyone else. Sweat and effort are required.

Last night I was tired and feeling overwhelmed. While some of the things on that to-do list are self-imposed, it seemed I will not live long enough to deal with so many responsibilities. I felt quite stressed and prayed that God would grant me peace of mind. This morning the first answer was this, the verse for today on Logos:

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)

Then I read the one above from Proverbs 14, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot” and hear the Holy Spirit telling me two things. One: Rest in the presence of the Lord and Two: watch my motivations for what I am doing. If envy is there, it will kill me.

This may seem like a simple thing to some, but anyone involved in creative activity is subject to the temptation of envy. I am a quilter. I belong to one large guild and two small groups. It is easy to fall into the sin of comparing myself with others in these groups. One of them praises me for my creativity and the other one makes me feel as if I don’t have much of it.

Comparing my work with others is not a great idea. It can inspire me to do well, move me to keep working, or make me wish I could do as well or better than they do. However, the NT says:

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. (2 Corinthians 10:12)

This verse is in a passage where Paul says he is humble yet bold, humble to not walk in the flesh yet bold in the power of God. He reminds me that the confidence I should have is that I belong to Jesus. I have weaknesses and strengths, yet they are of no account. I can only feel confidence in that I am doing what God gave me to do. Paul winds up saying:

Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:17–18)

I’ve some clues that the people I sometimes envy also envy me. How silly we are. To each God gives gifts that He uses to bring glory to Himself. This means that all that is on my list may or may not be from Him, but getting it done isn’t so I can gleefully put a check mark on the list, but so He can somehow be glorified. Part of that will be the display of a tranquil heart, rather than a frantic feeling of envy that pushes me to try and do more than He asks.

PRAY: Jesus, forgive my sinful comparing — for it takes my eyes and motivations off You and puts me on a competitive mode that does not glorify You. Resting in You changes all that, and being content says far more about Your grace and power that winning a frantic race of accomplishment. Thanks for Your reminders and these words that change anxiety to peace. Amen.

Surprising Sabbath Rest

 

Yesterday’s message from the pulpit was incredibly refreshing. Our pastors started a four-week service on Sabbath rest with a delightful departure from legalism or rules about what we are to do or not do on our day of rest.

In fact, it wasn’t about a particular day but about the rhythm of work then rest that God established in Genesis. Six days He worked, then rested on the seventh. The Jews made that Saturday but added a long list of things not to be done, even a rule about how far a person could walk on that day without breaking the Sabbath. We normally think of Sabbath as Sunday but it does not have to be that day.

Instead the message was about the love of God that knows how badly His people need the rhythm of work then rest. We were told many ways to do that, from having a nap, to taking a walk, to relaxing with a hobby, and several other to-do’s rather than a list of do-not items, like playing or shopping. We live in such a fast-paced world and need to slow down and relax.

I appreciated the emphasis to avoid tradition. Today’s devotional reading addresses some  traditions that can lock us into rules and regulations instead of the rest that God intended. Jesus was not big on tradition either, and much more concerned with the state of our hearts:

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” (Matthew 15:1–9)

I read about traditions this week. Some of them come from assumptions, like three wise men because there were three gifts brought to Jesus, but nowhere are the number of Magi listed. Another is that ceasing from labor means not turning on the stove to cook a meal, or never going to a store because we are out of milk. Jesus did say; “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27–28)

Our pastor pointed out that Jesus did many healings on the Sabbath and was teaching on that day, much to the consternation of the religious establishment. Doing good is not considered “work” and pointed out that “rest” could simply be a change of pace, a focus on the goodness of God instead of stressing or even pampering ourselves. Why not turn off mobile phones, remove some to-do items off calendars, stop watching TV, stop using social media, email, and instead engage with people fact-to-face. The idea is to work from rest, not work for rest. If I say TGIF, I’m not thinking God’s way about rest. Instead, spend time with God, alone or with others, and drawing strength from Him, learning more about Him, and doing life-giving activities.

My hubby and I drove around the neighborhood where we now live, seeing what it is like. Then, since we both like books we spent most of the afternoon in a large, nearby library reading material that did not add to the pressures of life and work. It was lovely.

PRAY: Jesus, these ideas about Sabbath rest make me realize afresh that waiting on You, slowing down to think about You, is life-giving. I come into today with past worries forgotten and a renewed sense of what is important. I’m thankful that You put this series into the hearts of our church leaders and give them truth to share rather than judgment about how to spend time at rest. For me, it was refreshing. Being on life’s fast track 24/7 is not Your will. Thank You for the rhythm of work and rest and for giving us the Sabbath and inviting me to time with You to renew my strength.

More than just putting my feet up . . .

 

Yesterday I reorganized my studio, moved furniture and tossed extras. I slept well, am sore in several places today, and plan not to work as hard. I need a day of rest.

When God created on six days, this is exactly what He did on the seventh day; He quit working — not for the same reasons (God does not get tired or ache) but gave us a pattern for a regular cessation of activity. Not only do we need it, but this also foreshadows that final heavenly rest.

REST comes from several Hebrew words and one Greek word. Nûaḥ is often used to describe stopping activity and in this sense is a synonym for šābat related to “Sabbath.” Both are used to describe God resting on the seventh day. While hundreds of other verses describe human resting or ceasing activity in the “rest” of death, some verses describe God giving people a “promised land” rest from enemies, with safety and security. Again, this foreshadows our final resting place as described in Hebrews 3:7-4:13.

Related to the noun Sabbath, the OT word šābat is used to describe what God did on that seventh day when He “rested” from the work of creation. Also, when He gave His people manna in the wilderness, He supplied enough for two days on the sixth day so they could rest on the seventh day. They were to observe the Sabbath as a sign of the perpetual covenant with the Lord.

Exodus 34:21. “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.”

By the time Jesus came, this idea of ceasing labor had become a list of rules. Some continue to this day and my gas stove even has a Sabbath mode on it! Back then, Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath. The religious leaders told Him that His disciples should not take care of their needs on that day.

Mark 2:23–27. One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

The NT word anapauō means “to gain relief by resting” such as ceasing from toil or to rest in the sense of bringing something to completion. It is also used of spiritual refreshment. Jesus said . . .

Matthew 11:28–29. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus contrasts rest with anxiety about life and fear of being without earthly possessions. He told a parable about a farmer who thought he could rest when his barns were full but Jesus pointed out that true rest comes from knowing our loving Father in heaven provides all we need. This rest comes from the Spirit of God as 1 Peter 4:14 indicates: “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

Heavenly rest is not an eternity without activity. In Revelation, rest refers to four things: we will never cease worshiping the Lord, those in hell will never rest in their torment, those who die before Christ’s return are told to rest as they wait for their vindication, and those who die in the Lord will rest from their labors:

Revelation 14:13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. All this said, I also understand that resting in the Lord is ceasing my efforts to run my own life. Sabbath rest is not just one day a week but every day — trusting Him and His way over my efforts and ideas. It is living by listening and obedience, by being calm and without stress over the little and big things that life hands me. I might be working hard or lying on the sofa— yet as I listen to His still small voice, He tells me when to get busy and when to have a nap — either way, because of Jesus I can experience His rest.