Rest

This past weekend was full of some huge news, which wasn’t incredibly exciting actually. Our beloved friend Chris has been fighting cancer since August, and after having a unexpected seizure last week, he and Martha found out that the cancer has moved to his brain. What a shock to all of us who have been praying and hoping that he would be healed!

Things were starting to look up again too. Chris had just released the new worship schedule, and he was planning to lead twice this month, now that his voice has returned. So, in the midst of this crisis I am faced with leading worship more (which I actually love :_), although it can turn into that “one more thing on my plate” deal) and also plowing through our work deadline, which I was hoping to have some of Chris’ help with.

So what do I do!? Where do I begin? There are so many thoughts that could overwhelm me right now.

Well, Saturday night after we had heard the news, I decided to go to bed, as I was emotionally and physically pretty exhausted. I laid down and my mind wanted to wander and think about work and church the next morning and Chris & Martha… all these things. In the midst of all these thoughts, a larger thought came in and crowded them out, and it was this

“Rest. Just Rest. Rest in me. Just Rest.” And I knew God was speaking to my heart. All of the other thoughts melted away, and I fell asleep thinking about His rest.

So wouldn’t you know, at church on Sunday, Leif spoke about rest! To combat the fatigue, fear, failure & forsakeness that we can fall into during these difficult times, he said to rest! Throughout this whole weekend a verse has been in my mind, from Hebrews 4:11. I thought I’d share it with you:

Hebrews 4: 11

Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].

This verse is from the Amplified Bible. I love how it says to “be zealous, exert yourself, strive diligently” to rest in God! Sounds like it can be pretty hard to enter into rest sometimes, especially if we have to exert ourselves! I love how purposeful it is, and active. It’s not a passive thing.

So Father, this week as I meet deadlines, and talk to clients, and plan worship sets, and “do”, help me to enter your rest! I need your rest!

~Gwennie