TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016
REST
Refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor; peace and quiet; freedom from care; a time of quiet; an interval of tranquility.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
And He said to them, come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. Mark 6:31.
For many people life is a struggle. Many people are working longer and harder hours just to keep food on the table and a roof over their head for their families. They are weary and need a break. The scriptures remind us that rest at times is needed and important.
God demonstrated to us when He created the world what He thought about rest. It is written that on the seventh day God ended His work that He had made and He rested on the seventh day. If God needs to rest then we surely need to as well. God also ordained for us in the writing of the Ten Commandments that the seventh day be a day of rest and a day of worship. So therefore we need to have time to refresh ourselves not only physically but spiritually as well.
Jesus also needed rest when He ministered here on earth and it was difficult for Him to find a time and place to rest. In Mark 6:31 Jesus saw that it was time to rest and He called His disciples to come to Him to find a quiet place so they could rest awhile.
Doing what God calls us to do is very important but there are many times that we need to stop a moment and take a rest to renew ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. In the verse above from Matthew Jesus tells us to come to Him and He will give us rest.
When we come to Jesus it changes things. We come to Jesus normally because we recognize we cannot carry on by ourselves alone. We acknowledge that we need Him. Oswald Chambers wrote in his book, “My Utmost for His Highest,” that the attitude of coming to Jesus is that we will let go of everything and deliberately commit all to Him. It is only then that we can experience the rest that Jesus gives.
Cleveland McAfee wrote the words to the song “Near to the Heart of God,” in 1901 after the death of his two nieces from diphtheria. The words are: “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God, a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.” These words offer us hope when we are hurting and need rest from the burden of grief and needed spiritual refreshment that can only come from God.
Romans 8:31-39 tells us that nothing is able to separate us from the enduring love of the Lord. I Peter 5:7 tells us to leave all of our cares and burdens to Him for He cares for you. Yes, near to the heart of God is the place for us to rest from the pressures of life.
Our memory verse for this week is found in Micah 7:8.
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Thank You for Your promise that when we come to You that You will give us rest. Help me to know when it is time to set aside time to rest in Your love. Keep my heart open so I can hear Your voice when I have a special need.
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