Sunday, March 09, 2014

Are You Ready to Get Some Real Rest?

                                                                          When traveling late in the evening I usually get very sleepy. As always, as I get sleepier I start dozing off. When I start dozing off I jump awake and ask Danny if he’s sleepy. I’m always concerned that he will nod off as well. Every single time I ask him he always says the same thing, “No but you are”. It’s hard to relax because my drowsiness makes me think he’s surely going to be drowsy too. But in reality how I am feeling has nothing to do with how he’s feeling. His wakefulness is not thwarted by my lethargy. He is alert and watchful even when I am completely asleep. He’s never scared me or had a wreck while I was asleep yet I keep asking every time we travel. Finally when I am overcome with sleep and can’t keep myself awake I just have to let it go and trust him. He’s never failed me. I know I’m safe as soon as I let myself rest.





I think we may tend to treat God the same way. We find ourselves in a state of commotion – we are worried. So we wonder if God is with us. We’re fearful. So we wonder if God will protect us. We’re in the dark about a situation and we wonder if God sees us. We forget everything we already know. We forget to remember how He’s seen us through other crises in the past. We get drowsy spiritually under the load of present circumstances and we think God might fall asleep – He might miss this one.

God speaks to my heart: You cannot call the shots on your life. As well as you plan things are going to happen. It’s time to let go the desire to control things and learn to rest in My presence. My Word is your book of rest. Inside its pages are the truths that I breathe out over your life. You don’t have to question Me. You don’t have to worry about what I will do. You don’t have to think that just because you are in a dark place that My light won’t shine this time. Your fear doesn’t lesson My protection. But it will lessen your faith in Me. Your constant worry is not prayer. But your prayers are always received by Me. I miss not one tear, not one loss, not one problem. I AM the Lord who protects, guides, watches over and keeps you safe even when you are sleeping. Even when you are thinking I might not come through this time I AM already working out the plans for your life. It’s time to trust Me and let yourself rest. Rest in My promises. Rest in your circumstances. The rest I give rejuvenates your faith, revives your spiritual senses and redeems your times. Trust and rest go together. Prayer and faith gives you purpose. I will never leave you or forsake you. When have I ever done that? Quit wondering if I will be with you now, for I have said I will be with you always, even to the ends of the earth.

Oh beloved, time to wake up from the spiritual lethargy of worry, fear, regret, control. Time to let God breathe His Truth into your mind and let it go all the way to your heart. Settle things with Him now. Repent of disbelief and let Him drive. He has never forsaken His own and if you are His you are His own you can be assured by His Word that He is in charge of the trips of your life. Nothing is too difficult for Him. He has never missed a problem, been surprised by the ordeals you go through or been caught napping in your troubles. The things you are encountering in your life are not going to ruin you. Rather they are going to build up your faith in God.  If you’re having problems resting in His presence get out the Word of God and recite it over your life. Let His Word dwell richly in you. Don’t scrimp when things are hard. It costs nothing to go to the Word and it wields great dividends to the one who lives in the light of His mercy and grace.  Remember His promises and rehearse the truth about Him. You will find that when you let Him lead and rest in Him you will always feel renewed. Things may look worse, but God is making it better.

He loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth trusting Him to take care of it all and letting yourself rest in Him.

Isaiah 43:11-12 I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me.  “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God.”

Isaiah 44:8 “Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none.”

2 Samuel 7:28 For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. NLT

Hebrews 6:18 So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Psalm 4:8  In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust. Amplified

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