Rest for your Soul!

Good Monday Morning!!  I am wondering if you have ever been around children who look for any and every excuse to NOT go to sleep!  I am talking about little people who just SO love their day they cannot bear to see it come to an end!  Children amaze me in this way.  They soak up each new experience they have during their day, taking it all in ad relishing in it!  It seems like their energy never ends, and they have no need to interrupt their day by something as silly as sleep.  Maybe this will sound a little familiar to you, but my kids would find any excuse they could to prolong going to bed.  One more Game, One more story, One more song or dance.  There would be giggles ad hugs until way too late.  Now that my kids are older, it is the same story, but now it is One more conversation, One more question they have that must be answered before they can possibly sleep.  I have often wondered when life switches so drastically for us?  When does the time come when we cannot wait to go to sleep, when we barley drag ourselves to bed at the end of the day not caring if we are in our pajamas or not.  Many of us rush through our day, with the business of our schedules, that we barely notice much of it.  We feel the weight of the world on our shoulders and that heaviness leaves it mark.  Maybe the cares of this world have left you worn out.  Maybe you feel the tiredness in your soul as well as in your sore muscles.  Sometimes we exist only on caffeine and adrenalin.  Feeling this exhausted does not limit itself to our physical bodies; it is often joined by spiritual exhaustion.  Sometimes our laughter has been overtaken by deep sadness.  Our excitement and passion is overshadowed by tiredness in our souls.  Have you ever prayed something like David prayed in Ps. 55:6?  He said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!  I would fly away and find REST!” I was in prayer about this the other day, feeling so very worn out from the day.  I had so many people on my heart that I was praying for.  I felt such sadness for those who are separated from Jesus.  I was lifting up those who are sick, and broken, hurt, and needy, along with praying for members of my own family.  It was in that beautiful moment before the Lord, asking Him what I could possibly do to help, where He laid a very specific verse on my heart.  This verse is Mark 6:31.  Listen to what Jesus says to His chosen disciples, and hear Him say this to YOU today.  “Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s GO off by OURSELVES to a QUIET place and REST awhile.’  He said this because there had been SO many people coming and going that Jesus and His apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”  This melted me into a puddle as I heard in that verse Jesus not just caring for the crowds, but Him caring for His individual friends.  What an INCREDIBLE Offer Jesus Extends right here to these people who were so worn out.  I knew as I was reading this that this was something He was saying to ME and to YOU as well!  There are always so many people coming and going in our lives, and I don’t know about you, but I understand all too well that sometimes there is not even the opening to eat!  I find it interesting that as Jesus sees the ones He loves so tired and hungry, He knows that the best remedy for their condition is to just BE with HIM!!!  Did you notice something, He doesn’t send them away to sleep somewhere by themselves, He doesn’t even offer them physical bread.  The Great Shepherd, the Great Physician knows that the Very best way to care for them is to simply prescribe time with Him, in a quiet place, and alone!  How Very Impactful to me!  In the chaos of life I can almost see Him extending His hand to you and to me saying, “Honey, Let’s Go off by OURSELVES to a Quiet Place, and REST for awhile!”  Am I the only one or does that offer bring tears to your eyes as well?  Do you know why He gives this as the Answer to our exhaustion, our hunger, our weariness, and our lack of excitement?  Because REST for our souls, and REST from our WORK can ONLY be found in JESUS!!  He says, “Come to ME, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will GIVE you REST!”  He says, “…I am Gentle and humble in heart, and you will find REST for your souls!”  If you are in a place where you are tired and worn out, if you are weary or heavy with burden, if you are not filled with the excitement and thrill of Life in Christ, Jesus beckons you today.  He tells you what you need.  He says, “Come away with me to a quiet place and REST for a while.”  Will you take His hand this week and go away with Him.  The King of Kings, The Great I AM, the Savior of the world is asking you to Come ad BE with Him for a little while.  I want to encourage you to do that this week.  HE is the Answer, HE is the REST we need.  It will not be found in any book, game, TV show, person, or activity.  If you want REST for your soul, it will be found in the quiet place alone with your Redeemer.  Let us make Every Effort to Enter that Rest this week!!

Scripture to meditate on this week:

Mark 6:31, Matt. 11:28-30, Gen. 2:2-3, Ex. 20:8-10,