rest in His way...

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

I ask Him to order my days...
and I've noticed how He has begun to answer...
a new way to keep up with an ongoing ministry...
uncanny timeliness...
in phone calls... and tasks...
needs being met without asking or seeking...

I recognize His hand in it all...
but still I struggle at times...
to rest in His way...

When the day has gone long...
and there are still words to write...
and dinner to prepare...
and loved ones to love...

I remind self...
Rest in His way...
allow Him to order...
and don't fret...

Words come...
others start dinner...
time to connect remains...

How easily I forget His faithfulness...
to answer prayer...
and order a day...
His Way...

Amen...

rest... in His shadow...

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light do we see light.

Psalm 36:7 ESV

The idiom... in the shadow of somebody...

generally has a negative connotation... meaning...

receiving little attention... because someone else is better known...

more skillful...

Only in His shadow...

we find rest...

Rest from trying to gain attention for ourselves...

rest from striving in our own strength...

rest from criticism... critique...

The shadow of His wings falls over those who know His precious love...

there they find abundance... delights... life... and light...

His shadow is not overpowering...

it is empowering...

His shadow covers...

with grace...

strength...

mercy...

love...

When all we do...

is pursue His call...

stay in His shadow...

there is rest to be had...

knowing all belongs to Him...

whether praise...

or complaint...

Only in the shadow of His wings... His borders...

is there rest...

Rest... in His shadow...

rest... the way of salvation...

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,

"In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength."

But you were unwilling...

Isaiah 30:15 ESV

Rest... it's the way of salvation...

Returning to Him through repentance...

recognizing there is no way to save ourselves...

resting in His work... His way... His Word...

is the way we are saved...

But we... won't... have it...

For the most part... mankind is unwilling...

we should be able to work things out ourselves...

in our own strength...

our own righteousness...

our own way...

Pride refuses to let us rest... and be saved...

But He tells us...

In returning... and rest... you shall be saved...

There is no other way...

rest in Him... not in work...

What has a man for all the toil and striving of heart

with which he toils beneath the sun?

For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation.

Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 ESV

Work... when we work for ourselves...

it's toil and strife... sorrow and vexation...

I listen to a loved one...

successful in business...

but vexed... full of complaints...

his heart not at rest...

Working solely for self...

leaves one restless...

no matter how much you make...

no matter how well you do what you do...

it's all vanity...

I listen with sorrow...

wonder at the way he works to fill the void...

and pray he'll begin to work for Him...

view the world from an eternal perspective...

finding rest in work... and life...

Jesus says... Take my yoke upon you... learn from me...

and you will find rest for your soul...

Soul rest is what we seek...

and it's only found in working for Him...

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.

Colossians 3:23 ESV

rest... in thanks giving...

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who by understanding made the heavens,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who made the great lights,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

the sun to rule over the day,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

the moon and stars to rule over the night,

for his steadfast love endures forever...

Psalm s 136:1-9 ESV

Today a day... to rest... in thanks giving...

Finding rest in giving thanks for His great wonders...

all motivated by His steadfast love... which endures forever...

Give thanks to Him...

find rest...

Note...

I thank Him for those of you He's led to this table to read...

it is a great wonder... anyone comes...

have a blessed day of thanks giving...

resting in the preparation...

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

Psalm 23:1-3 ESV

On a day of preparation...

I expected time to be pressed...

things gone undone...

but what I found was...

unexpected rest...

Waking this morning with the chorus...

Yes Lord Yes Lord Yes Yes Lord...

running through my head...

I was up and going...

asking what was first...

what was next...

In His leading...

I found unexpected margin...

time to rest...

time to prepare...

green pastures...

still waters...

restored soul...

Unexpected margin...

where I found rest...

in preparation...

"...I am the door. If anyone enters by me,

he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ..."

John 10:9 ESV

resting in His grace...

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger

and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove

our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion

to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103:8-14 ESV

I feel the unrest settle...

like the dust from a windstorm...

and where I land...

is in His grace...

An ordinary Christian... 

following an extraordinary God...

that's what I call myself...

The ordinary grumbles...

frets...

loses sleep...

feels restless...

But the Extraordinary...

He pours out grace...

mercy... compassion...

on the form that's made of dust...

I wonder at His extraordinary grace...

when I'm in a tumult...

and how He still loves... provides...

is faithful... when I'm in a tizzy...

What a gracious extraordinary God...

who lets me find rest...

in His grace...

finding rest... even in unrest...

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"

even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

Psalm 139:11-12 ESV

Today... a rest-less heart...

waiting to see how things will get finished...

Things I believe He's called me to...

but some days... I just wonder...

is it Him...? or is it me...?

who got me into all this...

One thing... needed His inspiration...

an article on temptation...

What I discovered... in my unrest... was His inspiration...

actually... experiential knowledge...

The unrest He allowed...

led me to fall to temptation...

a short temper... a harsh word... to a loved one...

which led to a convicted heart...

and words to begin... the article on temptation...

Humbled by His ability to supply...

even in my unrest...

Marveling... at the wonder of darkness...

being as light to Him...

Out of my dark restless mood...

He brought light...

Light shining on the dark still dwelling in my heart...

and light shining on words to begin a writing He called me to...

two birds... one stone...

So now I see... a new place to rest...

I can rest in my unrest...

where He reveals...

inspires...

and uses darkness...

to bring about light...

rest...

Rest...
that's the call I hear this evening...
rest...

I haven't in a while...
had a call to rest from the writing here...
but that is what I do today...

Rest...

"...Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest. ..."

Matthew 11:28 ESV

rest in Him...

Ask and it will be given to you...

Matthew 7:7 ESV

The more I ask...

the more I believe...

the more I rest in Him...

I asked...

He answered...

a new series to pursue...

Rest in Him...

What does it mean...?

What does His Word reveal...?

We'll see... when we begin tomorrow...

Thank You... Lord... for answering when I ask...

Amen...

wait on Him... Psalm 62:5...

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

Psalm 62:5 ESV

The verses today... follow the ones from yesterday's post...

and it sounds as if the psalmist suffers waiting woes too...

Now we hear him preaching to his own soul...

O my soul... wait in silence...

The verses between yesterday's and today's... reveal ongoing affliction...

How long will all of you attack a man to batter him,

like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.

they take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths,

but inwardly they curse.

Psalm 62:3-4 ESV

The psalmist waits... hopes... in God...

to bring justice... overcome evil... free from oppression...

all the while encouraging his soul... wait in silence...

The Hebrew translated as silence doesn't only mean be quiet...

but also... to cease activity... rest... (Dictionary of Biblical Languages)

How often... when injustice seems to prevail... do we get busy taking things in our own hands... trying to make things right ourselves...?

When we won't wait... rest... be still... in the difficulty...

we reveal a lack of trust... an unbelief... in God... who says He defends... and calls us to something different...

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God,

for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing

you will heap burning coals on his head."

Do not overcome evil by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:19-21 ESV

Be silent... trust... rest... wait for Him...

He is faithful...

He will take care of things perfectly...

all in His time... 

at the end of a long day...

At the end of a long day...
I'm ready to rest...

But the temptation to rest in something besides Him creeps in...

Remembering to rest in Him alone...
the only true refuge... who refreshes and strengthens...

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 61:1-2 NIV

more vacation lessons...

In this time away... I find myself with more time to read...
in my current reads... I find reason to rest...
in imperfection...
and those who are lost...

The first lesson I find in Eugene Peterson's... The Jesus Way...

The way of David is the way of imperfection. The story of David lived and the psalms he prayed provide us with an imagination that is capable of understanding the operations of God to do his perfect work in us, not our capacities to perfect ourselves. The stories tell us that nothing about us, whether good or bad, is without significance; the prayers tell us that everything within us, whether good or bad, has to do with God. The stories and prayers together free us from a role and performance mentality, free us from the perfectionist expectations of others and perfectionist ambitions we set for ourselves.

---Eugene Peterson, The Jesus Way

Peterson explains... through David's stories and psalms... how it's OK to be imperfect... we actually have no power to change our imperfections... but God sent Jesus in order to forgive... and... heal...

I'm one who has struggled with perfectionism... beat myself up more times than I care to admit... set standards impossible to keep...

I've learned to rest in His grace... but Peterson... through David... taught me we are not called to be perfect in and of ourselves... in fact we cannot achieve perfection... but God... He is at work in our imperfect ways... to reveal and heal... to forgive and redeem...

With each work we allow Him to complete... we become more complete in Him...
just like David... an imperfect man... inside and out... but a man after God's own heart...

The next book with a lesson... a novel... The Calling... by Rachelle Dekker... a post-apocalyptic work... a struggle between legalism... the Authority... as the way of salvation... and the Father... as the way of freedom... Aaron the Jesus-figure... the teacher leading the "rebels" to freedom...

The battle is great... lives are lost... Carrington the heroine... she mostly gets the truth... Remko her beloved husband and leader of the rebels on the run... suffers doubt...

She thought back to the last conversation she'd had with Aaron. It had been a couple weeks ago; he'd walked with her alone, sensing her anxiety. Her uneasiness. She'd been worried about Remko; he'd stopped sleeping regularly. Even when he was with her, a part of him was somewhere else.

"He will find his way," Aaron had said.

"You keep telling me that, but as the days pass I wonder if he's only becoming more lost."

"Being lost is part of the journey."

---Rachelle Dekker, The Calling

In my own life... I watch loved ones struggle... seemingly lost...
and I find comfort... the ability to rest...
in the truth... Being lost is part of the journey...

Jesus came to seek the lost...
and in our lostness... He finds us...

I can think back on my own journey... and see this truth...

Finding unexpected rest...
in imperfection...
and being lost as part of the journey...

More vacation lessons...
during the time away...
but not away from Him...

first day of the new year...

So far... the first day of the new year... a favorite...

A day spent doing what I really love best...
caving with my family...
all of us at home on a gray cool day...
fire going...
relaxed...
together...
no plan...
no expectations...
lots of good food...

A day of rest with loved ones...
a day... I think... Jesus would approve...

After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days

with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.

John 2:12 NLT

After a big event... a wedding feast... and a miracle...
He had a few days... to cave...
just to be...

After the big events of the last week...
I cherish this day...
the first of the year...

Yes... today... a favorite in my book...

Lord... thank You for this restful start to the new year...

just a day to be... with those I love...

Amen...

pressed...

At the end of a day...
in the middle of the week...
feeling pressed...

And I remember... yesterday's lessons from the massage table...

Recognizing the pressing...
I attempt to trust...
relax... rest... in what He is up to...

Finding myself on my knees before Him...
more than once today...
seeking His guidance...
trusting His timing...
counting on His power...
for good...
for healing...
for transformation...

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show

that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair...

2 Corinthians 4:7-8

Amen.

lessons from the massage table...

Yes... I had a massage today...
as she tells me...Think limp lasagna... relax...
I think... That doesn't really help...

Trying to relax... rest... in the working of muscles...
a new thought enters...

Rest... as clay... in the Potter's hands...

Clay... I can relate to that...
all mankind formed from the dust of the ground...
a conglomeration of dirt... water... minerals... salts...
that's what I'm made of...

And as she pushes...
pulls...
pounds...
and presses...
I ask Him to teach me...
to rest... relax...
in His hands...
as He pulls...
pounds...
and presses...
in my life...

I pray to be sensitive to His touch...
able to rest... even when it hurts...

Learning to be... clay in His hands...
not resisting... the circumstances...
people... He brings into my life...
but rest... trusting that He's at work...
for good...
for healing...
for transformation...

So when I went down to the potter's house,

and there he was working at his wheel.

And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled 

in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into

another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done?

declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand,

so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. ..."

Jeremiah 18:3-8 ESV

Father God... help me to embrace Your lessons

from the massage table... Help me to learn...

to rest and trust... in the work You are about in my life...

sabbaths... sabbaticals... and expectations...

Sabbaths...
After four consecutive weeks of practicing a Sabbath day...
I finally felt surrendered to the rest...

This week I even rested from leading Sunday School...
as a couple training missionaries in South America shared their testimony...

It was a breath of fresh air...
Spirit-inspired...
an unexpected blessing...


Sabbaticals...
A friend... she challenged me with the call to a sabbatical...
seven weeks... at the end of the year...

At the time it felt like one more thing to do...
my flesh cringed...

In the praying for guidance...
seeking what sabbatical looks like for me...
I feel led to lead a prayer group into seven weeks of rest...

A time to seek... pray...
ask for direction and fresh passion...
for a ministry 12-plus years old...

As I surrender to the call...
(feeling a little guilty... I might add...)
He reveals He's called others to pray...
for an extended period...
an unexpected covering... of the ministry taking a break...


Expectations...
As I learn to set aside a day of rest...
I find a need to learn to put aside expectations...
at least my expectations...

The end of another day...
feeling I didn't get all I expected accomplished...

A day surrendered to Him...
listening... following...

Trusting if it didn't get done...
it wasn't His plan for today...

And I see how He unexpectedly blessed...
in Sabbath... and sabbatical...
therefore... willing to rest... in what's been done...
and left undone... however unexpected...

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my hope comes from him.

Psalm 62:5

flickering epiphany...

After a day of wrest over rest...
followed by a day of finding no rest in work...
this morning... a flickering epiphany...

The work is not about finishing...
the work is about being with You...!

The rest is not about not working...
the rest is about being with You...!

To be where You are...
to be where You call me to Your side...
this is a life of prayer...

Shabbat Shalom...
in rest...
in work...
in living...
in dying...

I've been missing the connection with You...
in the work... and in the rest...

I don't know how I got so skewed...
with work... and rest... and being with You...
but thank You... Lord... for times to remember...
and getting back next to You....

"... Take m yoke upon you, and learn from me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest

for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

---Jesus

Matthew 11:29-30 ESV

wresting with rest...

Another call to Sabbath...
one I didn't want to hear...

It did not go well... from my perspective anyway...

Did work... that should've waited...
recruited others to help... when I should've let them rest...
self-indulged...
spent more time at wrest with Him... than at rest in Him...

And then today... the Monday following...
after a day of wrestling with rest...
He clears up much of my day...
hours in fact...

But you know what...?
The opportunity to work extra hours... brought no rest...
unmet expectations... (you know... the ones set too high...?)
left me feeling like a failure...
the work... did not fulfill...

The sun sets early these days...
and it feels like the day is done...

After a time with Him... remembering Him...

He reminds... There's still time in the day...
Do not give up... or be dismayed...
because so much seems undone...

Trusting Him... to guide the evening hours...
because I'm not sure I did so great with the day...

Thank You Lord for Your strength to persevere...

...for darkness is as light with you.

Psalm 139:12 ESV

learning to live shabbat shalom...

Three weekends in a row...
a day has been dedicated to sabbath rest...
a day holy to the Lord...

So far... I've learned...
it is not a day for self-indulgence...
it is a day for private worship... and prayer...
it should include a time of corporate worship... (even if it's with a cat...)
it is a day to be other-centered... compassionate...
a day to trust Him with the work He calls you to do...
a day to roll your burdens on Him... and trust Him to fill the gaps...

Shabbat shalom...
rest... peace...
should be an attitude we bear every day...
in Christ Jesus...

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested 

from his works as God did from his.

Hebrews 4:9-10 ESV

Believers are to rest from their own salvation...

that work has been done by Him...

Believers should not work for themselves 24/7...

we should trust Him to provide...

Believers should not fret... or take on... the work He alone can do...

we need to recognize our finitude... our dependence on Him...

In this season of practicing a day of sabbath...

I'm learning to live shabbat shalom...

every... day...

Lord... teach me to rest in the work You've done...

the work You are doing... and the work You will do...

Thank You for filling in the gaps where I fail...

teach me to live... shabbat shalom...