“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him” ( Psalm 37:7)
Rest is important to God. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work” ( Gen 2:2).
During his ministry on earth, Jesus often took time away from the crowds to rest. After the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, “immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd. After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone” (Matt.14:22-23).
At one point a frurious strom arose while he was resting, to the fright of his disciples. “Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” ( Mark 4:38).
All this, and more passages elsewhere, emphasize to us that rest matters. We should all, as a good habit, take time off to rest, from our labours. One reason is that rest enegises us. The way God designed our bodies is their mechanisms need time to cool off and re- charge. Also, as we see in the life of Jesus, rest is also a good time to reconnect with God!
Anyone continouslly involved in the Lord’s work knows what an uphill struggle we face. But through rest we have a coping mechanism. There are also blessings from rest. “Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” ( Gen 2:3). If it worked for the Almoghty God, how about you and I!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as we toil in your beautiful work, and face all kinds of pressures that leave us often restless, may we always go to you to rest and be refreshed, to even be more productive and fulfilled, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
Related upcoming events
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19/05/2024 - 20/05/2024 All day“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its part were many they form one body” (2 Cor 12:12)
In the body of Christ every believer has a gift that contributes to making the church whole. There are those who are gifted at intercessory prayers. Others have been called to a pulpit ministry. Then there are those gifted at leading worship and praises. Some others have the gift of care and empathy. The gifts in the church are indeed endless.
One way to know your gift is being able to reflect on what burdens you most. For example, if you have a great feeling for people who are going through tribulations and need comfort then most probably yours is a gift of empathy and care. There are those with a burden to share the truth and theirs is the gift of teaching the Word.
When God gives us gift he also enables us. For example, one who has been gifted with praising and worshipping by singing would naturally have a way with his tongue. That one gifted with preaching has the talent to move listeners with words. God gives us gifts to build the body of believers.Do you know your gift? If so, how are you using it for the building of the church of Christ?
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray that you enable me use the gifts you have given me for the building of the church,
this I pray in Jesus’ name.
