Rest

Life is full of overly-filled schedules, choked out by the worries of the have-nots and discouraged by the could-nots.  Zipping to and fro it seems as if we have missed the point of it all, trying in vain to make things happen on our own and becoming sick with despair when everything fails.  Dreams are shattered, hope is crushed, spirits are broken, and people are grumpy.

I have been reflecting tonight on the concept of rest.  Sundays are my day off, no shoes to lace up and buttons to program on a machine.  And yet, even deeper than that, Sunday is a day of true rest.  Oh sure, the laundry gets folded and produce is carefully selected at the supermarket and things are taken care of in preparation for the week ahead, yet there is a shimmering glimmer of hope in this concept of deep rest.

What could that be?  Where is the rest when the number of pounds left to lose is 173?  What does rest look like when marriages are falling apart?  How can one truly rest when your faith looks like a shriveled, wilting plant next to the blossoming cactus of despair?  One thing, Jesus.

I rest in Jesus.  I rest in the assurance of a God who can do the impossible, both in and through me.  I rest in a God of restoration who is beyond capable of restoring and healing any relationship.  I rest in a God who knows and understands my foolishness, and yet who beckons me closer and draws me more deeply.  I lay aside the weight of it all, and I take His yoke upon me...for He is gentle and humble of heart.  (Matthew 11:29).  Isn't it Jesus who is the only One capable of carrying the world upon His shoulders?  Rest oh weary one, draw near to your beloved, and all of the trifling matters of life will be greatly faded in comparison with His glorious light and overwhelming presence.