March 12-Rest

Happy Tuesday! I hope you’re having a good start to your week. My Monday started off with a bang and then about 11:30, I was finished! Just done for—out of gas, so to speak! I had such high hopes when I woke up with a new lease on life, all energetic, but it just didn’t last long. I just kept thinking “Why? Why can’t I be fully well and have all my energy back?” 


As you probably are sick of hearing, one of my favorite Bible heros is Elijah, a fiesty man of God who not only prays fire down from heaven to consume the wet sacrifice, but it licks up all the extra water as well. He then oversees the killing of 450 prophets of Baal, then, climbs back up Mt Carmel to pray down rain. As the heavy rainstorm began, Elijah tucked up his robe and out ran the horses down the mountain. 


BUT...the very next day when he heard the Jezabel wanted him dead, he was afraid and took off into the desert. He sat under a broom tree and he prayed for God to let him die. Now, wouldn’t you expect The brave Elijah to say “Bring it on!”? What happened to the strong and confident Elijah who stood on Mount Carmel and called down fire from heaven?


Immediately after his desperate prayer, Elijah fell asleep under the tree because he was exhausted. And what did God do? He didn’t lecture Elijah about his calling or tell him to toughen up. No. Instead, God tenderly cared for Elijah. God sent an angel who awakened the prophet to feed him, let him sleep some more, and then fed Elijah again. The food and the rest would enable Elijah to make the journey that lay ahead.


It may not be a great journey that awaits us but we are traveling and sometimes our journey becomes too much for us to handle and we end up telling God that we have had enough. But maybe we are just tired. Maybe we just need to sit a while. Maybe we need a good night’s sleep, a power nap, or a solid meal right now. Our Creator God knows that our physical body has limits. It is amazing how a bit of rest can change our perspective, allowing us to experience His sweet peace rather than overwhelming anxiety . . . and eventually to recoup our courage—and maybe a bit of energy in the process! 


“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭NLT‬‬


Jesús Lord of Heaven, thank you for understanding when we are simply tired. When we need to find comfort and rest, you are our hiding place, our shelter, our green pastures. We want to be brave and stand tall but you know that when these bodies of ours wear thin, our resolve follows. Help us to rest well, to practice healthy habits so that we can serve you more effectively and follow you more nearly. Open our ears Lord so that we might hear what you’d have for us to do. We love you and worship you this day. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear friend,

Pam



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