“Are you tired? Worn out?
Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your
life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with
me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything
heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live
freely and lightly. ”
What
causes us to fret? Could it be that
sometimes our own anxieties or troubles are brought on upon ourselves?
Have you
ever opened your eyes in the morning and the first thing on your mind is the
day’s to-do list? Now, shouldn’t it be
Jesus? Instead of waking up and saying “thank
you Lord” for a new day, sometimes our thoughts are more like, “uhhh look at
all I have to do today”. If that’s not
bad enough our great invention of trepidation beeps with just one more thing
for us to do! It really is a “cell”
phone; a prison at times.
Jesus
said, ” Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your soul”.
This
Scripture is so often quoted but how many of us are actually at ‘rest’
today? Jesus’ words draw me; meek and lowly. In other words, quiet, gentle, yielding, submissive, not wanting to fight or argue.
A place of rest and harmony; Jesus
is Peace!
I think
when we have too much on our “daily plate” we become grouchy and resistant to “rest”. It’s as if I am in a race, but with
who? Sometimes we are racing the world
and all its imposed deadlines to earn a prize of recognition. Who are we trying to impress? I like the
MSG translation that reads, “learn the unforced rhythms of grace”.
Who are
we trying to impress? What are we trying
to win? What unrealistic goals are we
trying to notch off the list?
We
often wrestle with the “rat race” of the world and wonder why we are tired and
worn out. “Hey world, I am not a rat and
I will not run on the wheel!” Unfortunately, sometime the Lord has to push me
off!
The “rat
race” in my definition is not just an endless financial pursuit but anything
that is consuming us to spend all our resources to a fruitless end.
Did you
know that there is a “stress awareness month”?
Yep, it’s April. Great, one more
reminder on my cell phone!
Ok,
back to what Jesus said. Today when I
read the words “meek and lowly in heart” I once again realized that Jesus is
not trying to impress anyone. When we
operate like the world, naturally we have to “prove something”. We have to let the world know who we
are. But, the truth is Jesus already
knows who we are. We are weak, at times
frustrated; we operate in pride and put ourselves into unrealistic schedules
and races. We are the adopted sons and
daughters of God! Let's REST in that!
He is
calling us to rest; to breathe and enjoy the earth and relationships he has
given us. Pride chants, “do it” and “reach
it”, “push yourself”. Humility says, rest
and ask for help. The children of God
are to work together in His Kingdom.
So,
take a mirror; better yet, turn on your cell phone’s camera :) and invert
the image. Yep, your personal
mirror.
Remind
yourself,” I am a child of God. I do not have to prove anything to this
world. I can operate to the “unforced rhythms
of grace”. Thank you Jesus for reminding
me again and pushing me off the “wheel”!
I love the painting above by Andrew Wyeth. I saw this many, many years ago. Such tranquility in this humble setting. REST my friends, REST.
God bless you!~Liz
