It’s a rainy day in Chiang Mai, Thailand today. As I sit here on the roof of Zion Café, listening to the rain and taking in the gentle breeze that trickles underneath the overhang to where I’m perched on a wooden stool, I contemplate and try to comprehend the last month.
I leaf through the bible settled in my lap and come across this passage in Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG): “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
My heart flip-flops in my chest – almost as if it’s nodding it’s metaphorical head in agreement with what I just read. Maybe this is the reminder that I need to hear as I struggle to get a grasp on what I experienced and learned this month in Thailand.
To say this has been an exhausting month for my team would be an understatement.
We’ve been spending a lot of our time pouring into the people who are in the “red light district” in Chiang Mai. Every night, a group goes out to the bars to build relationships with people and to pour Christ’s love into their lives – into hearts that have been neglected and mistreated for far too long.
We’ve also had many opportunities to spend time outside of the bars with some of the girls we met. We actually met a girl who’s a Christian (Leap – refer to previous blog post), and we were able to take her to church this past Sunday, along with three other girls from the bar!
My heart feels close to bursting every time I spend time with them – I love them so much, with a love that is so vast it can’t possibly be my own. I actual feel a physical pang in my chest every time I think about leaving them in 3 days.
Pouring out this much energy and love has to be one of the most draining things I’ve ever experienced.
So today, as I read and re-read this passage in Matthew, I breathe a sigh of relief.
My Father wants to rejuvenate me. His greatest desire is for me to realize how much I need Him and to rest in that realization – to rest in Him.
God had to repeat this little sugar cube of tenderness to His people over and over again:
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.” (Deuteronomy 8:10, NASB)
God tells His people that once they’re rested and fed and satisfied, that’s when they’ll be ready to bless Him and further His Kingdom. But only after they’ve been poured into by their Father.
Jesus also makes sure His disciples get rest – He says to them in Mark 6:31: “… ‘Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.’ (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)”
He realizes the importance of getting away and resting in order to recharge physically, emotionally, mentally, and especially spiritually. Jesus knows that there’s no way we will be able to be used by God if we’re too drained and worn out from pouring into other people – we ourselves need to be poured into and be reminded to always be resting in the Lord’s strength.
The repetitiveness of the rain pattering on the overhang I’m sitting underneath taps this insight into my memory for the umpteenth time. It’s funny how we’re so quick to remember all of our problems, but we need to be told over and over again of Christ’s desires and ideas for our lives.
He loves us with everything He is – which means that He wants the best for us. I honestly can’t help but smile at that!
I encourage you to continuously remind yourself to rest in His love for you. As He says in Matthew chapter 11, “Keep company with [him] and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Is there an area of your life that you need to rest in?
