The best rest is in Christ

Last evening I made the mistake of looking at a book about color and design before I went to bed. It filled me with ideas and I could not sleep with all that going on in my head. I’d also discovered earlier that a company had take money from me without my knowledge. The strategy needed to get a refund was also in my mind. Not being able to sleep is abnormal as I usually am out as soon as my head hits the pillow. I did think of this verse:

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2)

The verse didn’t help because I could not stop “eating the bread” with anxiety about the rip-off and excitement about the designs and making plans for my quilt fabric stash.

This morning I did a search for “rest” and discovered this word is used more than 350 times in the Bible. One of the prophets used it to describe the Messiah:

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord…. In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:1–2; 10)

I cannot imagine Jesus being kept awake by important things, never mind the relative trivia that occupied my thoughts. As I thought of Him, I considered what He wanted from me. Certainly, sleep would come if I was not worried about the refund due me. I tried to think biblically about the power of God to take care of that issue, only to relate to these words:

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jeremiah 6:16)

I wanted a solution. That was the problem. I could not just give it to the Lord. However, He has more to say about that, something that evaded me in the middle of the night and rebukes me this morning — as well as granting a solution for not sleeping well…

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. (Matthew 11:28–29)

PRAY: Jesus, my body is paying the price of trying to carry a burden too heavy for me and for trying to design something when I needed to put everything aside and rest. Sometimes I feel like a spoiled child that keeps saying, ‘I can do it myself’ instead of letting You take care of all things. I hear Your voice in the words of the psalmist: "Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (Psalm 116:7)


 

Start resting by praying . . .

“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, but He washed it white as snow . . .” the words of a hymn speak of forgiveness and cleansing, but when I first typed them, I wrote: “Jesus does it all . . .” for as I study the Bible and live my life, I am becoming more and more aware that my efforts always fall short. I could not make myself right before God, nor can I keep myself right in the way that I live.

In learning to live out all that Christ has given me, one important reality is learning to trust Him and not myself, to rest in Him. This “rest” is about God’s sovereign power, about trusting Him to take care of everything. Trying to do that is something like my grandmother used to say, “The harder I try, the behinder I get.”

Resting in God is a challenge for all of us who live in a busy world. The tensions of life press us to work hard, try hard, even play hard. We are individualistic and independent, not used to resting or trusting in anything but our own resources. Yet Jesus Christ makes this lovely invitation . . .

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. (Matthew 11:29)

The image or pattern is the Sabbath. In the past, this one day of the week was a call to stop work and worship. The Old Testament people must have been something like us because God had to command them to do it. They were no more prone to rest (or worship) than we are.

However, resting that one day a week was not the goal. “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:8–11)

The Sabbath rest is also a picture of trusting God for all of life, of recognizing His care and not fretting or fussing about anything. As the psalmist said, “Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (Psalm 116:7)

In the New Testament, the Sabbath had become a day of “thou shall not . . .” rules. Jesus often spoke about the way the people had missed the point. This must be human nature, for even Christians who know how to rest in Him can remember how the church did the same, enforcing rest with a long list of rules.

But Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man. He understood the principle of rest and knew all this would happen. God had said, “’This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose,’ yet they would not hear.” (Isaiah 28:12) and “’In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ But you were unwilling.” (Isaiah 30:15)

Why were they unwilling? The same reason that I am unwilling. I do not rest in Jesus, whether it is for a time to be refreshed, or simply trusting Him to do what needs to be done in my life because I think I must do it myself. I think I know what is best. I assume that if I don’t, it won’t happen. All my reasons basically boil down to trusting myself more than God.

The result of refusing rest and not trusting Jesus is anxiety and fatigue. However, I am learning (the hard way, as usual) that all of life points me to that Sabbath rest. God wants me to find it and enter into it. It is available to all, and in it we find the joy and goal of salvation . . .

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26:3–4)

Rest in Him

After four days of driving, some of it through nasty weather, I am so glad to be home. Yet getting groceries, unpacking, putting things away, making supper, then sorting a month’s mail and email almost did me in. Not only that, the simplicity of holidays in a large vacation rental, culminating with an ungraded hotel room last night (the hotel was full of basketball players so they gave us an enormous suite for regular room price) made my household seem far too complicated. Too much to-do and too much stuff.

At the beginning of this month, I wondered about using Spurgeon’s devotional as a guide this year. The very first day, it seemed You were saying that You would use the food You gave Charles Spurgeon to feed me. I now realize that You are doing just that. Each day, this man’s writings point me to Jesus in a way that fits with my experiences and blesses my heart. 

And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. (Genesis 8:11)

This is the dove Noah released from the ark after the rain stopped. He wanted to know if the flood waters had subsided. Spurgeon sees the dove as a symbol himself and some of his own experiences. As I read what he said, I could see that too.

He blessed You for another day of mercy even though he was totally spent from the day’s events, much like a dove that had flown all day. However, just as the dove found no rest out of the ark, and therefore returned to it, he also learned that there is no satisfaction found “out there” in earthly things. Only in returning to the ark of God could he find rest for his spirit. “Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).

Tonight, as the day comes to a close, I can identify with the weary dove coming back to the master. I need You and I must return to You. Sleep is vital for the body, but You alone can refresh my soul.

Like the dove could not endure hovering over the restless waters, I could not spend another minute with the complexities and long lists of things that must be done. I need to be with You and receive the peace of heart that You offer to the weary.

Spurgeon (I’m beginning to adore this man) also noted that the dove did not merely light upon the roof of the ark, she “came to him.” He saw in this how his own longing spirit was not satisfied with anything less than deep intimacy with You. The image of that dove fluttering to her master’s hand is exactly how I feel tonight. I’ve been “flapping” but now it is time to let You support my tired body and mind.

As for the olive branch, Spurgeon sees that as a memorial of the past day, and a prophecy of the future. Some might say that this application takes a leap, but it is based on Spurgeon’s vast experience of following You. Along with him, I also am reminded to bring You an olive branch. This symbolizes thankful offerings for Your mercies today: a wonderful place to sleep the night, eventual clear roads, safe travel, a good supper, and our warm home. You have blessed me today. I also need to look ahead, not only renewing my desire to serve You in the days to come, but also knowing that You will give me all I need to deal with the complexities of tomorrow.

Today’s reading ends with a prayer of gratitude for Your tender mercies that are fresh every day, and a request that You will put forth Your hand and take Your dove into Your bosom. To this I respond with the same gratitude and with the same request. Thank You and amen!