Since the beginning of the race I’ve been trying to learn what it means to “rest in the Lord”. So every time I get tired spiritually or physically I would just stop what I was doing and “rest” or go lie down and take a nap. Still, every time I would get up I would not feel fully refilled.
The other day I was looking at a picture of this little baby named Patricia and I and was going to post it on Instagram. I was trying to come up with a really good caption using a bible verse to go with it, because that’s what you do when you go on mission trips- you post pictures of yourself holding babies. As I was looking up bible verses that had to do with children I happen to come across Matthew 11:25-26 “At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (?Matthew? ?11?:?25-26? ESV) I was really intrigued by this verse for some reason so I looked up the rest of the passage this verse was in, interestingly called “Come To Me And I Will Give You Rest”, Matthew 11:25-30.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (?Matthew? ?11?:?28? ESV)
Looking at the picture of Patricia and I showed me something. When I went to pick her up she just came to me and I held her, I played with her, I kept her safe and she knew that she could rest in my arms. It showed me how I need to have child like faith and trust my Father and reach my arms out to Him so that He can pick me up. I can rest in His arms instead of trying to do everything myself and trying to depend on my own strength. With that comes a heart change and a surrendering unto his yolk. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (?Matthew? ?11?:?29-30? ESV)
I need to hold my hands out and have the Lord pick me up and I need to surrender to Him and just rest in His arms because He is the one who gives me my strength and my energy.
On the race and a lot of times in life you pour and pour and pour yourself out to people and rarely take time to get filled up, but that’s where God’s rest and strength comes in. Resting doesn’t necessarily mean lying down or taking a nap, it means when you are weak physically, spiritually, or emotionally, you surrender yourself unto God and rely on Him to give you your strength. For me that’s listening to worship music with friends or even just putting in my headphones and singing and dancing and Praising my Father. It’s also sitting and praying and thanking Him for all He’s done.
I challenge you to go read Matthew 11:25-30 and figure out how you rest in the Lord and what fills you up too, because his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
