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.