Corona Devo 1033

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.  ~Isaiah 30:15

I'm hard-wired to be productive in order to feel worthy, but God's Word reminds us (over and over) that rest is holy, and is a command unto us from our Heavenly Father,

“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.  ~Exodus 34:21

Ever heard that verse before?  

In no uncertain terms, God tells his people that we can bust-our-tails for the boss, for ourselves, even for God six days a week...but on the seventh, you must rest.  

But we're busy, we're scheduled, we're important.   It's crunch-time, it's our busy-season, and these things/events/deadlines are "non-negotiable", right?

Rest?  Right now?  

Yes...even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest (Exodus 34:21).

Have we rested lately?  

It's been more than six days for many of us, hasn't it?

~~~

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  ~Matthew 11:28

Admit it, we're weary and burdened.  And Jesus knows it, that's why He speaks this into our heart today: “Come to me...and I will give you rest.  ~Matthew 11:28

Our Lord knows our tendency to not-rest, which is why He gives this command to us to rest.  Build in a period of rest today.  It is not a frou-frou hopeful-request by our Heavenly Father, but rather--it is an expectation and a command given to us (repeatedly in His Word) by Him.  

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it... (9) There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; (10) for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. (11) Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.  

(12) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (13) Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  Hebrews 4:1, 9-13

I like these verses because God lays out rest as one of His commands in following Him and in leading us into the the promise of entering his rest.  And while we could take verses 12 and 13 and apply them to many areas of disobedience in our lives...God applies them to rest.

We might argue that we are too busy to rest, or too essential to rest, or too anything...to rest.  But God calls us on the carpet with that argument and points us right back to His word, and how His word is relevant and piercing to our egotistical agendas and hearts: For the word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). 

God's word and theses verses on honoring rest in our lives cut through the bologna of our "too-important" arguments.  We are not too busy to rest, and God sent His word to some of us today to penetrate us.  To divide our soul and spirit about it.  To judge our thoughts and attitudes about rest.

And if we think we are tricking God with any of our justifications...He reminds us that He is not fooled by our foolish "activity" or rationalizations for it: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  (Hebrews 4:13).  

Again, these words could apply to many areas of sin in our lives, but God speaks of them here in direct-discipline of us not resting.

Rest.  Our Heavenly Father knows what's best for us, and He is also the boss of us.  When we rest we are obeying Him, and when we rest there are treasures for our physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being that only He could arrange.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...  ~Isaiah 30:15

Rest today.

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...

    Not in the checked-off list items...

    Not in the amassed capital, worth or salary...

    Not in our friends, followers, or fans...

    In Him, and in rest in Him.  

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...  ~Isaiah 30:15

Lord, many of us need to repent because of our lack of rest.  Forgive us for powering through, without stopping to regain Your power.  Forgive us for feeling "so important" that we have forgotten Who is most important:You.  You are our salvation, Father, and Your Word says that in repenting we are saved and in resting we are saved.  

Save us all over again today, Lord...from ourselves and from our unrest.  Amen.  

Rest today!

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com