Rest

Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

‘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.’

I LOVE these verses.

After respirator mask-gate and realising (again!) I REALLY needed to plug back into God I found myself returning to them once more. 

But… how often do we really, really rest? I’m guessing I’m not on my own if I say that I am dreaming of sea air, of escaping from it all and dare I say it, being on holiday! I feel like the desire for salty air and the warmth of the sun is at times, a visceral need. When I’m tired and worn out, I dream of the sea… of water. Being near to water calms my soul and brings me deep joy and so makes me feel at rest and ready to face whatever life throws next. Anyone else? 

As I re-read those verses, these words leapt right off the page; ‘Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.’ In talking of holiday plans, we can often say things like ’Oh, I can’t wait to get away’. And there it is… in the midst of dreaming of sea air, Jesus is there, inviting ME to get away with HIM! In my quest for physical water and a holiday-type rest I’d missed the glaring truth that Jesus wants me to spend time with him, to rest with him, and in him. To soak in his presence, to drink in his living waters. To listen to him, for it’s when we come to a place of rest that we can stop and hear him. When we place our burdens onto him, he can restore our souls and he’ll recover our lives.

Getting away on holiday is great… but that isn’t always possible, for so many reasons. Yet each day we are invited to get away with Jesus and receive supernatural, life-giving rest that is only found in him.  

Prayer – Lord, thank you that you invite us to walk with you, talk with you and rest with you. That you take our ill-fitting masks and heavy burdens and enable us to live freely in you. Helps us to continually lay the things that weigh us down and hold us back at your feet. In Jesus’ name.