Choose Wisdom

April Fool’s Day.  The day we play tricks on people, hopefully to make them laugh.

Proverbs 10 talks a lot about fools, so for the next several days, I’d like to look at some of these wise sayings:

Verse 1 says a wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

We can apply this to our own natural children and the truth of that verse sure rings true.  A son that makes wise choices in life is one of the most joyous blessings a father can receive.  But a son that makes foolish choices sends a mother to her knees, and grieves her heart.

This verse should prick our hearts as parents to bring up our sons and daughters in ways that preclude making wise choices, and we must be an example of wisdom ourselves. If we hate, we gossip, we abuse our bodies and our minds, then our children observe lack of wisdom in us – and they follow suit.

Obviously, children have a choice to make.  But it’s more obvious that we, the parents, have a higher calling to make as well.  Choose wisdom.

Easter Sunday

After the most intimate prayer to his Father, Jesus is arrested and taken to be crucified.

It’s also at this time that one of his most avid followers, Peter, denies him – three times.

Jesus is brought before Pilate and he reminds Jesus that he has the power to free him, to which Jesus answers back, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” As Jesus was crucified, he bowed his head and “gave up his spirit.”

Three days later…the first Easter occurs.

The One who was sent gladly gave up his life because of the relationship he had with his Father – one of complete trust – that His word was solid and true.  That word, in this instance, was that he would rise again after three days.

On this Easter Sunday, if you don’t know the love of the Father, like Jesus did as he prayed, talked to Him, entrusted him with all that was his, and gladly laid down his life in obedience to Him - then I invite you to know him.

Jesus said all that he had been given is ours…if we just believe.  Fullness of joy.  Forgiveness of sin.  Life everlasting.

This world is mean, and it’s a hard life period.  But Jesus told us to be of good cheer – He has overcome the world.  This means His peace reigns over every hardship, every disappointment, and even over death.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.

So Awesome

John 17 is another favorite of mine.  Jesus prays to his Father, and it’s a stirring prayer:

He tells his Father that he is coming to him now, but prays for his followers to have “the full measure of my joy within them.” He tells his Father how he has obeyed and given them his word, and then he prays for his Father not to take them out of the world, but to “protect them from the evil one.”

And then Jesus says, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” He pulls us in, into the realm of heaven, where he resides. 

Jesus then affirms his Father’s word – the truth – stating just as his Father sent him into the world, Jesus is now sending his followers into the world.

Just this little part of Jesus’ prayer stirs my heart as I realize Jesus’ great love for us.  His desire is that we too see his Father and obey his word so that we too can experience the great joy that comes from knowing HIM and obeying HIM.

Jesus wants to share with us all the benefits he has, as the Son of the Most High.  That’s awesome.

Love

I love John 15:9-17.  Jesus just plainly talks about love.  He talks about his Father’s love and how he wants those who are listening to know and receive the same love.  And in doing so, this brings him great joy.

He explains the definition of the greatest love there is: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  And then he calls us his friends!  And he explains how that everything he learned came from his Father, and he has shared it with us.

The last part of the passage says that he chose us to bear fruit – “fruit that will last.”  Why?  So that whatever we ask the Father he will give us. 

“This is my command: love each other.”

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  We just receive His love, give it all up for Him, the fruit starts showing (that we love each other) and prayers get answered.

We make it all so complicated trying to achieve this, get his approval for that, and understand the other.  

When everything he’s explaining to us about love - He did, He gave, He exhibited on the cross.  

And it’s ours for the asking…and the receiving…to be given away to our friends.

Hosanna!

The very next story after those who mocked Jesus after his miracle of raising Lazarus is the story of the people waving branches and shouting, “Hosanna!”

Hosanna is just an exclamation of admiration, praise and joy – which is what should have taken place at the dinner where Mary poured out the perfume.

Once the fragrance of the perfumed filled the house, those who were there should have recognized the aroma of adoration and responded.  However, they missed it. They didn’t get it. 

But in this story, this group of people get it.  They realize their King has come.

And then Jesus gets on a donkey’s colt and rides into town, unassuming, humble as a servant, listening to the people glorify the works he had done to bring glory to the Father.

This is the crowd where I want to be, among those who recognize royalty and respond in praise when His fragrance fills the streets.

Flaky & Angry

It’s later in time now, Lazarus is alive again and living well, and Jesus is invited to dinner as the guest of honor.  Martha, one of the sisters is busy serving.  Mary, the other sister, pours expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet.  The fragrance filled the room.

Judas, a follower of Jesus, (the one who betrays Jesus later), speaks up as if to care about the costly perfumed being wasted on Jesus’ feet instead of being sold and the money being given to the poor.  However, Judas cared nothing for the poor, he just wanted to “appear” to care.

Jesus immediately replied and told Judas to leave Mary alone.

After that, many showed up to see Jesus and the man Jesus raised from the dead, and they wanted to kill him – dead – so that he might die once more.

This whole story is sad to me that when it should have been a time for nothing but rejoicing over Jesus, the giver of life, and the man, the receiver of the life – but here comes flaky Judas and the angry scoffers.

Lord, please help me to be cognizant of your presence and your work, right before me, so that I rejoice and lavish my love upon you for all that you are and all that you have done.

The Players

The story of Lazarus is told in John 11, and you probably know it well.  Lazarus died and Jesus raised him from the dead.  But there are other people in the story that interest me.

The sisters of Lazarus: They sent word to Jesus telling him their brother was sick.

The disciples: When Jesus wanted to go to the town where Lazarus was, they remembered it was in that very city people wanted to stone Jesus, so they didn’t understand why Jesus would want to return. And when Jesus told them Lazarus was “asleep” they didn’t understand why Jesus was needed.

Thomas: He answered quickly to all and said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” And yet this is the same man who doubted Jesus after his death and resurrection!

Martha: The first sister who greeted Jesus, a bit disappointed in his late appearance, but totally confident in His love and ability to take care of things.

Mary: The second sister, who too is disappointed in his late appearance.

The Jews: They notice Jesus’ great love and wonder why he didn’t “keep him from dying” in the first place.

Lazarus: The dead man who received life again.

All of these players demonstrate each of us when tragedy strikes.  Some of us just don’t understand what God is doing, others react full of faith in the moment, and then those of us in the story in the middle of the tragedy get hurt at Jesus for his apparent lack of concern and timing.  Then of course, I often fall into the latter category of questioning why the tragedy happened at all, and why He didn’t stop it before it occurred.

But then there’s Lazarus, the recipient of new life.  And Jesus, the one who gave new life.

Jesus and his abilities, concern, and power should never be an issue….nor his timing.  Nothing is impossible to those who believe.

Freedom to Choose

In John 10, Jesus refers to himself as the good shepherd – which is a lovely picture and brings me much peace.  He says the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, which Jesus did for us.

However, he then says that no one takes his life, but that he lays it down “of my own accord.”  He says he had the authority to lay it down and take it up again because he received that command “from my Father.”

God gives us free will, as well, to either lay down our lives for His name, to give it all – to surrender to Him – or to take it up again. This is something our Father gives to us – the freedom to choose.

Jesus chose to lay down his life because of the trust he had with his Father that in laying down his life, choosing to obey, he would be raised again to life.

Free will is a dangerous thing for man.  But God is willing to grant us that gift so that we can truly know the joy that comes from choosing Him – in dying to ourselves.

Resurrection day is a few days away – choose now to celebrate.

Blind

After the blind man was healed, those old religious guys had to “investigate” it to see how and why the healing took place. 

The poor blind man was incensed at these guys. He had been healed, and told them how it was done, and yet they still ridiculed the blind guy (now seeing guy) and even threw him out, saying, “How dare you lecture us? You were steeped in sin at birth!”

Jesus heard about this and met the guy he had healed once more, and the guy then believed in Jesus and who he was.  He didn’t believe when his eyes were healed, but he believed when he “saw” Jesus and heard him speaking to him.

Jesus then turns and tells those religious guys that their guilt remains with them, because they claim to see when they are the ones truly blind.

Are you blind? Or are you the one who accuses those you think are blind? Or…do you spend your time investigating so much that you fail to see the miracle of the Son?

He Showed Up

In John 9, Jesus heals a blind man and gives him sight.  But before that happens, those familiar religious guys who followed Jesus around asked Jesus who sinned – the guy or his parents?  They saw the blind man as being cursed due to some sort of sin.

Jesus’ answer again blows them away when he says no one sinned, but the blindness happened “so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  He then heals the blind man – easy as pie.

It’s true that sin causes problems.  But not all problems are because of sin. 

It’s true that Jesus can heal all manner of sickness.  But not all sicknesses are healed in our own timing.

This blind man probably had been the butt of many jokes and accusations from those around him, instead of receiving compassion and faith from those who said they believed.  And Jesus shows up and contradicts all of their preconceived ideas about illness and the causes of it, and heals the guy with no problem.

Again, nothing gets by Jesus.  If we’re sick, He cares and He will heal us so that the works of his Father may be seen in us.  We don’t have to listen to, nor feel, condemnation. 

Know a "blind" man?  Don't ask questions, just ask Jesus to show up and heal.

Knowing Him

I’m enthralled, amazed, and in awe of Jesus’ confidence in who he was and who his father was.  I want to be like that.

Accusers told him he was possessed by demons.  Jesus knew he wasn’t, because he knew he honored his Father and they were dishonoring Him.

Questioners taunted Jesus again by asking, “Who do you think you are?” to which Jesus referred again to his status with his Father – the one he knows and obeys.

Once again, he is scoffed at and made fun of. And once again Jesus establishes who he was and is.

And then they tried to stone him.

We too can be accused by others, by our own voice inside our head, or by the old enemy himself – but if we know who we are, that we are honoring Him, and obeying his word – no accusations can stick or bring us down. 

And we can hide in the safety of His arms, unharmed.

No Condemnation

The woman caught in adultery was left alone with Jesus after He sent her accusers away.  And Jesus then told her he did not condemn her, but to go and leave her life of sin.

Later, Jesus talks about how everyone who sins is a “slave” to sin and he mentions that slaves have no permanent place in a family.  However, a son belongs to the family forever. 

The only difference between those who believe and those who do not is that we who believe are no longer slaves, but we have been brought into the family.  So that’s why we have no place and no right to condemn those who are still slaves…because we were once slaves ourselves.  This is why Jesus sent the lady’s accusers away.  They too were slaves to sin, yet they stood accusing her.

Those accusers were sons/descendants of Abraham – an earthly guy – and they thought that gave them a one-up on the poor lady caught in sin. In fact, Jesus went on further to tell them that their father was the devil – the father of all lies! Ouch!

Jesus did not condemn the lady, but he did call her out of her life of sin.  He did condemn the religious people who thought they were followers, when they didn’t really believe.

Lord, help us to be true followers of you – not condemning others – but calling them to be sons.

Questions

I’m just loving this book of John…are you?

In John 8, Jesus is brought a woman caught in the act of adultery and asked Jesus, “What do you say?” It then says they wanted to question Jesus in order to “trap” him, to have a reason to accuse him.

Remember a few verses back, when the people were hungry and Jesus asked his followers how they were going to feed all of the people?  Those verses said Jesus asked, knowing the answer, in order to “test” them.

So we see a huge difference here.  The religious guys wanted to trap Jesus, and Jesus wanted to test his followers.  One had ill in mind towards the one they questioned, and the other had nothing but love and concern for the one he questioned.

I hope that I don’t question Jesus constantly and ask "why?" so much, complain so often, and grumble today in order to try and trap Him and accuse Him of not caring for me.  I know I’ve done that before.  

But instead, I hope that I’m listening well to his sweet voice ask me, in situations where I don’t know what to do, if I’m going to open my hands and receive more than enough so that I can bless others with the runoff.

It's All Good

When Jesus kept speaking at the festival, there is a sentence in John 7:44 that caught my eye.  It says, “Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.”

That verse brings me great comfort.  Jesus was going about doing what his Father told him to do.  It frustrated the religious leaders, it irritated many, and it confused his disciples.  Many were angry and wanted to take him away and kill him – so he could die - the purpose for which he came.

However, it wasn’t time for that.  Jesus was under complete protection of his Father and no one could seize him or touch him unless the Father said it was time.

Hardships come to us all, even horrific tragedy.  And we can sit in fear of it all.  Or we can realize that as we do what our Father instructs us to do, no one and nothing can harm us.  And if and when we do die, or tragedy strikes, it won’t be for destruction – but rather for resurrection.

Somehow this brings me hope that until the time my Fathers says for me to die – I’m good.  And when the time comes for me to die – I’m good.  Because I believe in Jesus.

Come and Drink

There was this big festival Jesus attended, and it was the last and “greatest day.”  That’s usually the day that people have had their fill of all things fun and good.  Bellies are full, pleasure was experienced, it was time to go home. 

Interestingly enough, Jesus stood up and said “in a loud voice,”  “LET ANYONE WHO IS THIRSTY COME TO ME AND DRINK.” This is interesting to me because everyone there had been enjoying the festivities which surely included drinking to their fill.  Yet Jesus knew that what they drank did not quench their true thirst.

He then offers rivers of living water flowing from within each of them.  Notice – he didn’t offer them more to drink physically.  He offered them fullness – inside.

Again, Jesus performs miracles by providing for people – but the biggest miracle of all that He wanted to provide was satisfaction from within – the kind that lasts forever.

Today I’m going to consider how often it is that I get down to pray and what percentage of my prayer is spent asking for things, instead of asking for Him.  And then I'm going to open wide and drink...

Bread that Satisfies

After Jesus’ miracle of the loaves and fishes, all of the people were full, including Jesus’ followers.

So later, Jesus starts talking about how he is the “bread of life” and how back in the day – the ancestors ate manna from heaven and still died.  Yet those who eat the bread of life will never die.  Of course all of this talk irritated the “religious” leaders who listened.

We have all experienced answered prayer, having God provide for our needs, and even miracles from time to time.  Yet, the next time a huge impossibility arises in our face, we fret and hope for another miracle.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  But the fact is, each one of those things satisfies for the moment, and we become full, until we are empty again.

Jesus wants a relationship with us where we are full of Him, his mercy, his grace, his loving kindness, his goodness, etc. and wants these things to be what we crave – more than a physical manifestation of a miracle.  It’s then and only then that we will be truly satisfied and no longer searching for miracles to our circumstances.  We will eat the bread of life, and life will be ours. Period.

He is the bread of life that satisfies.  Not the bread on our table.

Don't Waste It

I really love the story of the little boy with the loaves of bread and fish. 

A great crowd was present and hungry, and Jesus first asked one of his followers how they were going to find food for the people to eat.  The guy answered in terms of what he knew – it would take half a year’s wages to feed them all one bite.  Another guy answered Jesus, and handed the little boy’s food over but asked how in the world that could feed so many. 

One of the verses says Jesus asked the question to test his followers, and that Jesus already had in mind what he was going to do.  I suppose he wanted to see if these guys had been with Jesus enough to know that a big hungry crowd was no problem for Him.

We are presented with impossible circumstances in our life, often.  We can either look at our own resources; and realize they are not enough, or we can hand over what we do have and ask God to multiply them.  I think Jesus still asks us, “What are you going to do?”

But when He provides and our bellies are full, we need to be sure and gather the leftovers and “let nothing be wasted.” I’ve always loved how Jesus performed such a cool miracle, but never really looked at this instruction he gave afterwards.

When God gives us more than enough, especially when we doubt and He gives to us anyway, we must let nothing He gives us be wasted – but rather we must lavish it on others around us.

Great personal miracles are awesome. But a shared miracle is like fireworks in the sky.

The Law of Love

John 5 starts out with the story of a man who had been lying by a pool of water for decades, waiting for someone to pick him up and place him in the healing waters.  Jesus strolls by and asks the man, “Do you want to get well?” He then instructs the man to pick up his bed and walk.

The “religious” guys standing by didn’t even see the miracle Jesus performed.  Instead, they were upset that the man picked up his mat, which was against the Sabbath laws.  They judged and quizzed the poor man, as to why he had broken the law.

However, this poor man knew that he had been told to pick up the  mat and walk, and he knew he had obeyed and was healed.

Those religious guys seemed to show up often in Jesus’ daily walks and they were always stirring up trouble instead of observing the stirring up of the waters.

Lord Jesus, help us all to see the lame and lead them to the water, instead of observing the mat on which they’re lying and the way in which they’re maneuvering around.  And may we obey the law of love over any traditions of man.

He Speaks

The second miracle Jesus performed was healing a sick son, when a father asked Jesus to come to his house so that his son might live. The curious thing is that Jesus didn’t go to the man’s house, he just told the man to go, and then said, “Your son will live.”

There are many times we feel we know just what to do in order to get Jesus to answer, to bless us, or to provide for us.  If we just get this person to pray for us, we’ll get better.  If we just attend this service in another town where great things are happening, maybe we’ll receive a blessing.

All Jesus was looking for was faith, and this father had it.  When Jesus told the father to go, and his son would live – the father went.  He didn’t stand there and argue with Jesus and beg him to come.  He took Jesus at his word, and the man’s son lived.

Jesus speaks to us daily, and he wants to converse with us personally, not always in a mass or through another person. And his words, spoken to us directly, are just as powerful as any lofty words spoken to us by man, even in the name of God.

Just go to Jesus today and tell him of your need, then return to what you must do for the day, and expect Him to answer.

Share a Snapshot

Yesterday’s devo was about the woman at the well.

After Jesus talked to her and revealed himself to her, right at the well where she drew water every day, she went and told many people.  What she told them was, “He told me everything I ever did.”  Jesus had told her that she had five husbands, and the one she was living with now wasn’t her husband.  This amazed her that Jesus knew even the hidden things in her life!

Talking to others about Jesus is really that simple.  We just relay to them the junk we used to have in our heart and how he spoke to it and removed it.  Maybe we were once lonely and depressed, and Jesus came to live with us and filled us with joy and hope.  That’s all we have to share.  Real life, real hurts, real answers.

Folks can watch good stories on the television or big screen, and they can read awesome tales in a book.  But when they hear a friend reveal a change or share a healing, they want to come see for themselves what it’s all about.

I recently saw on the internet where someone took a picture of a church building from just the right angle and it looked like a chicken.  People  are now showing up in mass numbers to see this weird angled view, not to see Jesus.

Maybe we need a snapshot of the transformation in our lives that will draw others to see…and believe.

He's Here

Remember the story of the woman at the well? Jesus goes to a town that others passed by, and he sits by a well of water and strikes up a conversation with a lady of the world – an adulterer.  He asks her questions, she answers.  She asks him questions, he answers.

This conversation goes on, with Jesus even speaking amazing truth about the woman that she had not told him.  She even offered up a bit of insight about herself, stating that she was waiting on the Messiah to come explain everything.  She and Jesus had a long conversation, and then he declared, “I, the one speaking to you – I am he.”

What this story says to me is that Jesus shows up in our everyday life where we live, even if it’s in the mundane duty of drawing water from a well.  He strikes up a conversation with us and even speaks awesome truth into our hearts, but we’re so busy looking for what we “think” to be the answer, we never realize His voice, His presence, and His identity.

Jesus, help me to become aware of your presence and listen to your voice as you speak, instead of waiting and looking for another…

God Loves

John 3:16.  “For God so loved the world that he He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  This is probably the most memorized verse in the Bible, and certainly the foundation of truth for all who believe.

If we could only grasp the great love God has given to us.  I know many get trapped up in questions like, “If God is so loving, why is their tragedy in the world?”  I’ve thought about this question a long time.

There is a law called gravity, and if we jump off a building and fall to our death, it’s not God’s fault.  We know of the law and we chose to jump – therefore we die.  I don’t think anyone would argue this point, nor be mad at God that the person dies.  We all get the law of gravity.

In the same way there is this law of sin and death.  If we live in sin, we will die.  Period.  However, God loved us so much that he made a way to defy this law!  His perfect Son died for us, so that if we believe in Him, we never die.

That’s who God is.  Even when we screw up and jump when we know we shouldn’t, His grace and mercy is there to catch us if we just believe.  And he rescues us and brings us to life…forever.

That’s amazing love.

Zeal Personified

The next story told in John 2 is really one of my favorites in the Bible.  Jesus goes into the temple and found people using it for their own gain, rather than worshiping his Father.  All of a sudden, zeal rose up inside of Jesus and he made a whip and drove these people out, including their belongings; and he turned over the tables of those who were exchanging money.

Anger, uncontrolled, is deadly.  We know that and we even have anger management classes for those who cannot control themselves when anger rises.  However, righteous indignation at injustice and wrongdoing is personified in Jesus’ actions in this story.

It’s zeal that causes a father to run after a moving car that’s been stolen, knowing his child is in the back seat.  It’s zeal that rises in a mother when she throws herself on top of a child when a building is collapsing around her.  And it’s zeal when we rise up to stand against anything that harms others – especially the name of our Lord.

I am sad when those who know Christ and his love and mercy only pour out judgment and condemnation on those who don’t believe.  And I hope it angers me enough, and stirs me to move, so that I rise up and proclaim the truth about who Jesus is, even in the midst of all kinds of wrong, and demonstrate the zeal of God within me to love others as Christ loved the church.

The zeal of God - let it consume me.

Whatever

John 2 tells of the story where Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding, because they had exhausted their supply.  There are many good lessons to learn from this story, but today the heart and tenacity of a mother stood out to me.

Jesus’ mother came to him and made Jesus aware of the need, to which Jesus questioned her with, “Why do you involve me?”  The next thing his mother did was tell the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Aren’t there times when you run out of resources with your family and you go to Jesus in desperation, asking for provision?  The reason Jesus’ mother went to Him was because she knew who he was – the son of God – all powerful – and that He loved her.  And the reason that she turned immediately and gave direction to the servants was because she knew whatever his answer was must be obeyed, and this his answer would supply the need.

That heart towards Jesus is what I want.  I want to know him so well that when I go to him in need, I immediately prepare for obedience as he answers and provides.  No doubt, no questions asked, just a receiving heart.

Follow Me

In the rest of John 1 Jesus begins calling his disciples.  It’s interesting to note that he calls them by saying “Follow me.”  In fact, one asked, “Where are you staying?” to which Jesus replied by saying, “Come and you will see.”

Very often, we walk with the Lord and then we turn to go down a path and ask Him to follow us wherever we are going.  But that’s not really the way to walk.  I’ve gone into a pit of despair, a fit of fear, and a bed of pity before and asked the Lord to come be with me there.  I want him to follow me into my misery so that I’ve got company. You know the saying, “Misery loves company.”

However, in reading this chapter I see that Jesus saw those he desired and encouraged them to follow Him.  He found them, then he called them, and they left what they were doing and followed him.

I’m excited to continue following Jesus through the book of John to see where it is he’s taking us as we follow Him.

Closing the Cracks

I’m thinking of the book of John today, the book that I encourage new Christians to read.  And I think it’s a good read for those who are “seasoned” Christians as well, because it reaffirms the very basic truths of our relationship with Him – and that’s always good to reestablish from time to time.

My house has cracks that appear in the wall throughout the year, especially when it hasn’t rained in a long time.  They are very unsightly, until the rain comes.  It has to come more than a sprinkle though, it has to rain for days, soaking the ground, until the cracks in the wall close up and disappear.

I too get cracks in my heart from time to time when I’m spiritually dry from a period of struggle, or just from lack of spending time with Him.  And a sprinkle won’t do.  I need a good soaking for days in order for those cracks of doubt, disappointment, fear, etc. to close back up and for my house to be secure once again.

That’s what the book of John is like – a good soaking on some dry ground.

John 1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

That’s the first day of rain for me – He was then, He is now, and nothing ever goes on my life without being under his watchful eye -  with his light shining into the deepest darkness in my heart.

The Journey

I’m finished with my trek through the Bible finding scriptures on rest.  And the main thing I’ve learned is that when I’m in a state of unrest, it’s pretty much up to me to choose to move out of it – into rest.

The cause of unrest is questioning the goodness of God in my life and questioning the very nature of God – which is really a slap in His face.  He is good and just, and what He does is perfect.  So if my circumstances scream at me and say, “God must not care about you,” or “What if God isn’t going to come through this time?” I can listen to those voices or I can rest in His presence – KNOWING He’s got it all under control.

And if His control looks like chaos and pain to me, I must chose to rest in the fact that He sees all, knows all, and has a future and a hope for me – and it’s a good one.  My future and hope is not in this life, anyway.  This is just a journey.

Am I at rest, now? 

I’ve also learned that rest is a not a destination – it’s a place I will most likely visit from time to time until I learn that it’s a state of the heart – leaning into Him until I’m overwhelmed by the knowledge that He is my oh-so-loving Father and in Him there is no fear.

Hearts that are Set

I John 3 says the way we know we belong to the truth…and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence…is by loving Him not with just words but in action.

Disobedient children are not at rest.  They are constantly getting into the next scuffle, messing up the next room, or causing the next problem.  They might stomp their feet and say, “Sorry!” but the next chance they get they’re at it again.  A loving father disciplines these children and holds them close to his chest to calm them down – to bring them to a place of rest.

It’s no different with our heavenly father.  If we are constantly running around mistrusting Him, taking care of things on our own because we’re not sure if He’s aware or cares, and we stir up trouble by all of our fretting, we are not at rest. 

It’s up to us – we make the choice – to SET OUR HEARTS at rest in his presence.  

In other words, we choose to obey, we choose to trust, and choose to come close when He calls us to sit a while and be at peace – cease from our movement – and REST.

Wandering...

Hebrews 3 is a good read and a good place to reflect on our own heart.

Remember the group of people in the Old Testament who wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years?  Miracle after miracle of provision was given to them in the desert, and yet they whined and fretted over God abandoning them. 

I know I personally have seen God at work in my life and experienced answered prayers, provision for more than enough of everything I need, yet I find myself wondering if he’ll come through “this time.” It grieves my heart that I do this, so I know it must grieve His.

When we forget God’s character and his very nature – that he is good and all powerful – and everything He has he freely shares with us – we keep ourselves wandering…

And we never enter into rest.

Lord, forgive me for ever questioning your goodness. 

His Grace

Yesterday I mentioned this verse from II Corinthians 12:9.  “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.”  The writer of this book then says he will boast gladly about his weakness so that Christ’s power may rest on him.

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anyone boast gladly about their weakness.  Usually, the boasting takes place when someone has accomplished something others value and that someone is proud of their own strength or intelligence.  Very often, power comes with these type of accomplishments, but with that power then comes responsibility to maintain their strength, keep their position, and become even stronger and more powerful.  That’s a lot of pressure!

When we confess our weakness and Christ’s power comes to rest on us, He is the one who maintains our strength, He keeps us in a position of leaning on Him, and He becomes lifted up and stronger – and that relieves our pressure!

His grace is enough for the weakest of the weak.  And his power “rests” on those who gladly realize that in their weakness He is strong, and when He is strong they are at rest.

The Invitation

Did you know Jesus invites us to come and rest?  He actually says, “Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, and I will give you rest.”  There’s the invitation, so what will we do with it?

The next part of the passage is the other part of the invitation, and it invites us to take his “yoke” upon us and “learn from Him.”  So this is a call to join up with Christ and learn how to rest.

He then describes who He is – gentle and humble in heart. 

This gentle, humble Savior personally invites those who are really tired and weak to join up with Him.  Somehow that connection transfers everything that weighs us down onto His shoulders so that we can – yes – REST. 

There’s another verse that says His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  That must mean that when we rest we become strong.  

So when we are invited to experience rest, perfection is at work making us strong.  

Go to Him. Accept His invitation.