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 something heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. (11:28-30)It's incredibly tempting to read these words and believe that we need to come up with a plan to add more recreation time into our lives, to restructure our work days to be less draining, to adjust our priorities so that family and financial needs are more easily met. In fact, we started down that conversational path last night and it led to a temporary feeling of wellness, but was followed by the greater heaviness of enacting our plans. We were seeking the blessings not the Blessed One. We were seeking a lighter load not the Light. We had to ask ourselves, what is this "real rest", the life recovery that Jesus is calling us to?
Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it and find rest for your souls.' (Jeremiah 6:16, ESV)
Yahweh's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked. (Psalm 9:9-10)Jesus is calling me to Himself, to His Word, to His yoke. Only there is true life and rest. I'm only beginning to understand what it means to respond to this call, to keep company with Him. His yoke is light not because He demands less of me (Matt. 5-10 makes that clear). He now bears the load with me, not adding to the Law, but revealing that only in His grace is it possible to obey the Law and to love Him (Matt. 22, 23). I'm seeking Him to understand this "unforced rhythm of grace" in a daily, moment-by-moment way.
What is the Holy Spirit revealing to You about his life, rest, and grace?
2 comments:
Thank you ladies for doing this amazing bible journey. I have been praying for a long time for a "study" but nothing has worked for my schedule with little ones. I am stuck a bit in a rut of just surviving until the end of the day and sleeping away my frustration and doubts, only to wake up and feel an immense pressure on my soul. My time in the Word has been nil and I am relying on past moments with the Lord to sustain my faith. It's not working. I am excited to be a part of this online community and have the accountability to seek God alone through his word and tap into the amazing power we have through the Holy Spirit. I yearn for a sense of peace and rest, not because my circumstances are different but because my heart is in tune with God's spirit and movement. Oh that he would love such sinners as we!
Katie! I thought that was your picture and did a little digging. So glad you're joining with us as we wrestle with all that God's doing in our lives.
I hear you on the surviving the little years! I'm praying that God will give you His peace and rest as you seek Him through His Word.
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