8th September 2025
God’s rest
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
There is nothing like laying down after an exhausting day of work and resting. I know my time of rest is over when the five kittens we have start jumping on me over and over again. They are like little alarm clocks to let me know my time of rest is over, and it is time to go back to work. In this case that involves getting them breakfast. It seems as if we never get enough rest in this busy fast-paced world. As soon as a job is done there is another one waiting for us to begin; and if you are a multitasker, you have more than one thing going at the same time.
We all carry burdens. We are struggling with our health, our work, finances, education, family affairs, our children, addictions, accidents, and our faith in humanity and God. It seems like there is no rest at all, and it seems true for the righteous as well as the wicked mentioned in Isaiah 48:22. We are all crying out for rest and comfort. It is no wonder that we are seeking solace in the things of this world, but as our header scripture teaches us, it is the rest of Jesus that we need. Only Jesus can give us this rest.
We are told in Genesis that even God rested after making our world (Genesis 2:3). That does not mean that he has finished working all together. I do not believe that God needs the kind of physical rest we do, but he paused in what he was doing in order to take in, if you will, all that he had created, and God took time to enjoy it. Did God’s rest renew him? Someday I will be able to ask him this question. I know it renews me, physically and mentally to take time to rest. It sometimes gives me a new perspective on things to rest for a while and think out my dilemma.
This world and its things will never give us the true rest we need. That only comes from God. We need to take the time to rest in God’s arms until we are renewed enough to go on with the day. My work will never be done as God’s is not. When we look at the skies and the stars in the cosmos, we see that there is constant moving forward, creating and recreating, as nothing God does is random or without purpose. New life is being created over and over again. I want to be a part of God’s work as I follow his guidance and directions in my life. I want to move and flow along with him. I need my rest in order to do so.
So, get your rest in Jesus. We have work to do here on earth, and I am convinced that it continues on into the next world as well. Oh, such glorious work it is for God; not burdensome, but glorious work we do along with the Father, Son, and Spirit. As we touch each life with the word of God, God renews us as well as the ones we touch. I cannot help but say it again, seek your rest in Jesus, we have important work to do.
Prayer
Merciful Father, I wonder at all the ways you move with us in our lives here on earth. You do not give up on us but are in constant contact with listening ears and love flowing freely. It is no wonder that I keep singing these words over and over in my mind and out loud: ‘My God, you’re an awesome God, you reign in heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, my God is an awesome God, my God you’re an awesome God!’ We love you God. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
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Study by: Anne Gillam About the author: |
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