The D.R. Diarios
It’s almost 2:30am. I’m in a hostel with three other WR leaders. They’re asleep. We’re taking a few days rest in between months and I’m being attacked by every thought that has been stifled by busy agenda’s, ministry, grocery runs, and adventure of the last month.
I thought these few days in Santo Domingo would be about sleeping, goofing around, and maybe even a dinner out. All three have happened, but an unexpected fourth has shown up and robbed me of my peace tonight.
Rest does something funny to us. It forces us to embrace the awkwardness of our bodies being idle. It allows no place to hide from ourselves. It’s in the quiet that God whispers… isn’t that what we long for? Isn’t that what I thought I was learning every day?
I just checked my email and got an update on two very special little girls that are very sick. As I read about their current condition, I can’t help but get blindsided by a wild compassion for two lives that are spending each breath in a fight for the next.
Tonight, on our way to grab dinner before we returned to watch a movie and sleep in a REAL bed with A/C… we met a woman named Theresa that weighed all of 90 lbs. She has aids and can’t get back home (wherever that is) to her family. She was hungry. She was lost. She was living each breath for her next.
All of this happened right after me and the other leaders realized that we had not lifted our day up to our Father, the one who gave it to us for rest and has provided so handsomely this gift. It was about 8 o’clock and we were booking it to the Colonial District main drag when Phil stopped and offered the idea of prayer. I was so set on the next item of our night that the thought of prayer totally BLIND-SIDED my entire being.
Here’s my heart tonight… I am guilty of not shutting my mouth and listening to the still, small voice of God because I’m always on my way to do “His” work. I’ve passed up people on the streets begging for food. I passed up emails about little girls that are waiting for the essential items to sustain their life. I’ve passed up a friend that needed to talk because I was on my way to another… WHATEVER. I know I am not here to save the day for everybody, but how can I keep moving here and there with blinders on?
How can I pass up ministry with the excuse that I’m on my way to ministry?
…I am not learning physical rest these few days in Santo Domingo. I’m learning to rest in the Spirit and to quiet myself for Him to be present in me.
Stop.
Don’t move for the next 5 minutes.
See where your mind wanders too.
These are the things that command our lives.
Now give them to the One that paid for our burdens.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light
Oh my God… you have given me rest when I didn’t know I need it. Thank you for reminding me that I am limited and you are not.
