“My Presence Will Give You Rest”

“The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go

with you and I will give you rest.’”

 Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

            Moses doubted that he was to lead his people out of bondage. He felt he didn’t have the ability for the task. He asked God to “teach me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor with you.” (Ex. 33:13a)

            The Lord responded with our focus verse.

Basically, God told Moses He would go with his servant and give rest.

            What is rest? My concordance defines rest as sleep. Simple enough but how important is it.

Some people can require up to eight hours sleep a night. I, myself, usually need this amount of good sleep in order to feel rested. Sometimes that sleep is broken up; other times, I can get by on less.

            What good is it? Sleep restores our bodies from stress and helps build up our strength. It improves our concentration. We have a better frame of mind.

            Can we get by without it? Some people boast about getting by on three hours sleep a night. Others have their sleep broken up in spans of 45 to 90 minutes at a time and that doesn’t come until after sunup. A sleep deprived person requires understanding and a great deal of love.

            Freedom from activity is another definition from my concordance. A friend of mine has been through at least two family experiences that would have done in a weaker person. She recently told me that after all these episodes come to an end; she is going to take a trip. I understand what she means. She needs to refresh herself and relax in surroundings speak of comfort to her soul.

            My friend, like a lot of us, desires freedom from stress. From time to time, we find ourselves wanting a release from the pressures of the trials of life. Sometimes, we need rest to help us through the ordeals. Sometimes, we need rest to help us through the ordeals 

           

The Master’s Invitation

“Then, because so many people were coming

and going that they did not even have a chance

to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves

to a quiet place and get some rest.’” Mark 6: 31 (NIV)

            People flocked to the Master. They came to hear Him preach, to hear His stories, and to receive healing. The impact of the crowds, continually seeking to spend time in Jesus’ audience wore down the disciples.

            The Teacher knew the strain that the disciples felt. He invited them to withdraw from the hub-bub of the daily events and rest.

            In our 21^st Century world, we have events bombard us as we go though life. Emergencies happen—that’s a fact of life. They take a toll on our lives. Personal crises can cause our plans to go awry. Just the normal tasks can daunt us if we are run down.

            But, God has a remedy for these mishaps. He invites us to turn off the television or the computer, sit down, open our Bibles, and read. We might fix a cup of tea and maybe have some cookies, or cake or pie as we sit and take in His Spirit.

            I have learned from different authors that we when we learn to live in God’s presence we have a better stance against the enemy.

            God asks us, His children, to come into His presence because He loves us, wants what’s best for us and knows we need to have these times of rest and refreshment in order to fortify us for what may lie around the bend in the road or even what lies right in front of us.

              When we take Jesus's advice and get with Him and listen to what He has to tell us,we return to our daily world and know that we have been refreshed because we rested in Him.

Rest for Your Souls

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble and you will find

rest for your souls.” Matthew 11: 29 (NIV)

            I once heard a pastor explain that a yoke had two parts. They were designed for two animals to work side-by-side.

            “Take my yoke upon you. . .” Jesus asks us to join Him, to work with Him in tandem. He will lead us where He wants us to go and He will be there alongside us making a way for us to do the work He asks.

            “. . . learn from me,” Jesus teaches us as we work with Him. We listen and take in what He instructs. We have the opportunity to learn from the Master. There is no greater experience than feeling His presence and hearing His voice.

            “. . . for I am gentle and humble . . .” One quality Jesus possesses is gentleness and humility. In my Christian walk I have had two or three exceptionally outstanding Sunday school teachers. The first one explained how Jesus operated by saying, “Jesus is always a gentleman.” My present teacher speaks of “the only thing stronger than God’s will is the will of man.” Both of these servants of God said that Jesus doesn’t involve himself into our lives unless we invite Him to.

            “. . . you will find rest for your souls.”

As humans, we can only stand so much activity, pain, and stress. After a while we begin to have meltdowns, anxiety attacks, or panic attacks. Sometimes, we feel like giving up. But when we invite the Lord to share our burdens, we sense a new freedom. Our work becomes easier. We no longer have a sense of dread and we can face our schedules that seem daunting. People who cause us problems don’t seem as scary to us.

Jesus has given us new strength.

More Thoughts on Solitude (RJD #7)

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty

days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came

and ministered unto him.” Matthew 4:1-2, 11 (KJV)

(I continue my thoughts on Solitude. As a writer, I need to have solitude in order to be able to think, plan, and create. As a Christian believer, I have to spend time alone with God so I can grow to be more like Him.) These thoughts come from February 8 and 9, 1997.

(2/08/) Dietrich Bonhoeffer speaks of solitude in a way I find novel. “If you refuse to be alone you are rejecting Christ’s call on your life.”

God calls us to be His; he moulds us into the person He wants us to be. I have friends who are also Christ’s children but His call on their lives can be different than His call on mine. Christ calls each of us as individuals; He equips us as He wishes us to be. God forms us in the womb by ourselves; (unless we were part of a multiple birth.) He calls each of us to repentance alone and, most of the time, the Lord calls us to heaven one at a time. Even in the events where multiple fatalities occur, I believe he interacts with each one separately.

I find it interesting that the older I get the more comfortable I am with being by myself, yet at times I don’t care to be alone. But that seems the way we learn to be comfortable with solitude. Jesus used His being alone the best of anyone I know of—He prayed.

(2/09/) Henri Nowen writes, “In solitude we can slowly unmask the illusion of our possessiveness and discovery in the center of our own self that we are not what we can conquer but what is given to us.” I find this to be a powerful thought. What I gather from this is that I am not made to be who I am by God to be victorious over my shortcomings by myself. But God make me as I am to allow Him to work out work out those frailties of who I am.

In the early 1980’s, I used to get rattled, upset and even frustrated very easily. I began hearing the word, ‘trust.’ Every time I’d see a passage of scripture that contained that word, it looked like this: Trust. I believe God was speaking to me at that time.

However, I really didn’t fully listen as I should have. I went through a phase where I realized I lost a considerable amount of energy each time I got angry. A while later, I discovered Proverbs 3:4-5 “Trust in the Lord your God, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” God doesn’t give up on refining us; He sometimes lets us go until we mess up. He, then, accepts our apology and allows us to grow from the experience.

Linking up to:beneaththesurface-dawn.blogspot.com

Safely Rest

One of His trees providing shade for a couple of families

“. . . you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord

your God is giving you as an inheritance and he will give you

rest from all your enemies around you around you so that you

will live in safety. Deuteronomy 12: 10 (NIV)

            “. . . you will cross the Jordan . . .” At one time or another, we all face issues—life changing circumstances. These situations seem critical and almost insurmountable. God says that we will come through these trials.

            “. . . settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you. . .” God places us where He wants us. He saw to it we found home in the exact opposite part of town from where we had lived. Because of His choosing our home for us, we were situated between the elementary school and the junior high school our son would attend. For several years, our church was a half- mile away. A grocery store was a half-mile in another direction. Another positive aspect of our home is the hospital less than a mile away.

            “. . . he will give you rest. . .” God takes us through the harried times of personal or family illness or trial and, when we have traveled beyond them, we find ourselves able to see things more clearly.

 

            “. . . from all your enemies around you . . .” We have times that everyone seems to go the distance in pointing out our shortcomings. When we come to that place where we don’t react to those criticisms our detractors cease bothering us, God has given us the strength to withstand their attacks.

            “. . . so that you will live in safety.” God wants his children, you and me, to live worry free. His desire is that all who call on Him will be kept safe. He shelters us from the onslaught of our detractors by arming us with messages from His Word.

Review: Fear, Faith, Patience, By Felecia Killings

             Felecia Killings, a young Christian Afro- American woman, had prepared for her teaching career her entire life. She received her B.A. degrees in English and African and African -American History from UC Davis. She returned the next fall to pursue studies for a teacher’s license, receiving a Master’s Degree.

            As a part of her teacher training, she was in a mentor program where she taught at an area high school. She excelled in gaining the respect of the students so much the mentor teacher began interacting differently with her. She finally asked to be reassigned.

Toward the end of her additional year of studies, she attended an educational job fair. She met a representative from one particular high school who seemed to like her. She applied to that high school.

            Felecia also applied to another school but wasn’t selected. She got hired by the woman she met at the job fair. She believed God was in this.

            Her goal in life was to instruct young people to respect others and to respect their background. In trying to stand for what she believed, Miss Killings received disrespect from the administration of the school where she taught.

            This treatment went of for three years. At each subsequent evaluation, the ratings seemed to worsen. The administrators were not going to let the event which she called them on be in their past.

            As most protracted trails do, this series of events took a toll on Miss Killings—a spiritual one. She had to withdraw inside herself and spend time alone with her God. During all this upheaval, she was accused of a heinous crime. It took a while for the accuser to admit he had fraudulently made up the charge. As of the writing of this book, the outcome has not been decided.

            Miss Killings goes to great lengths to explain what happened after she blew the whistle on the administration of the high school. I found the book one I had to read in sections, a bit at a time. She achieved her goal—to inform the public about the harsh side of the education system. All this upheaval and stress took would take a toll on her because she believed she was in God’s will when they enter the field of teaching.She has founded and is CEO of Power, Faith, and Love Ministries which oversees seven organizations. For more information about the groups, go to powerfaithloveministries.weebly.com

I Will Give You Rest

“Come, all who are weary and burdened

and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11: 28 (NIV)

            The Master invites us, when we are overworked, when we feel underappreciated, when we are stressed out, and those who seem to drown in our to-do lists, to join Him. We sit down at His feet and we listen to His words.

             At this time, He asks nothing of us. He gently tells us that He loves us. He draws us close to Him and whispers in our ear words of cheer, of comfort and healing. Sweet aromas surround us as we drink in what He shares with us.

            At the end of our time together, we depart refreshed. We can breathe easier and work more efficiently. Our activities no longer overwhelm us. We have been with Jesus.

            A few days ago, I found this to be true. Twice, I was unable to think of questions for some Bible studies that I am writing. Each time, I prayed about what I needed. Later when I picked up my composition book, I had received God’s direction and was able to allow the words to flow. Before I had actually started on this project, I couldn’t decide whether I needed to do a collection of devotions or a Bible study. I prayed about this decision and found myself setting down the format for a Bible study-as yet unnamed.

            Dear Lord Jesus:

                        We thank You for Your kindnesses and Your grace You give us when we accept your invitation to come to You. We thank You for Your words of encouragement and comfort that You so freely give to us who fellowship with You. We give thanks to You for Your gentle leading. We give You all the praise. AMEN