He calls into rest - Matthew 11:28-30

Greetings brothers and sisters. I begin with an apology for the delay in this post. My trip to the mountain was fantastically blessed as I was also joined by my youngest son who brought his guitar. We did what is all our hearts to do.... worship our King whenever and where-ever we place our feet. When I have the right licenses to post it on Youtube.com and then on this page I will do so. It was raw and real. Just loving and adoring our Jesus. It is an answer to prayer to worship with my young people like this. Jesus made my heart even more full to overflowing. From yesterday....

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What a glorious day the Lord made today in the Pacific Northwest!  His Creation was singing His praises. Let us begin with prayer.

My Father in Heaven. All praises and honor are Yours. You are exalted above all things. Praise You for Your mighty works and patience with me during this season. Thank You for forgiving my trespasses as I forgive those who have trespassed against me. I am grateful for Your presence as I laid down my day to follow my Jesus to the mountain. What a glorious time we had! As we read and meditate over Matthew 11:28-30, I pray that the words reveal more of Your heart and instruct me in Your ways. I surrender it all to You. I choose You over and over again. Your ways are better. I will rest; You have it all. All situations, people, agendas, and dreams, I give them all to you. I choose Your ways and Your work where there is peace and joy overflowing. Resting in You. Trusting You in everything. You are faithful. I give You glory. I love You, my Abba Father. Bless us today in this devotional. In Jesus Name. Amen.

For those who read Day 5 post, “Come away with Me”, you already know that I ended up accepting the invitation of my Father in Heaven to drive to the mountain, Mt. Rainier, for the afternoon to spend with him. For those who are recovering Type A personalities and have a plan to accomplish things each day, this would seem impossible to do. I am a recovering and redeemed Type A. Christ has set me free from my expectations. This work that He has begun He is faithful to complete in Jesus Name. This surrendering of my day and my expectations to God yielded a peace that passed all man's understanding.

He is calling all of us into rest.

 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

--Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Our Lord calls to our hearts... Come to Me... but can we hear Him?

What distractions are hindering us from hearing Him through the noise and work?

Then I realize how many times I don't rest when even my family asks me to rest. Always an excuse to be said. Always something to do for someone else. But the Lord here is calling us to rest with Him. He is calling me. I am inspired by a friend of mine who mentions sitting in the embrace of the Lord to rest. The conviction of time lost with Him because of the hustle and bustle of life is there. Ecclesiastes 3 says that there is a season for everything under heaven. So, it is the tenuous balance of life. But our Lord who can do all things, redeems His time with us. When we put Him first, He redeems our time.

Rest in Him still requires our response.

The Lord reminded me of a craft exercise that shows the importance of choosing Him first.

We were given a jar, grains of rice, almonds, and walnuts. The walnuts represented time with the Lord in prayer, in His Word, and in fellowship. Almonds represented anything with family. The rice represented everything else in our life.

·         If the rice was put into the jar we were given, the walnuts and almonds would not fit. Some would, but not all.

·         If the almonds were put in first and then the walnuts, some of the walnuts would not fit and not all the rice as well.

·         If the walnuts were put in the jar first and the almonds second, then all of the rice fit.

Everything fit when time with the Lord was placed as priority. No what do I do?

Rest in Him... be intentional.

The lesson that our time with the Lord was the most important thing to help us get it all done. We needed to be filled to overflowing but this required intentional rest. It required us to stay still and not be concerned about the dishes in the sink or laundry. Once full, we could focus on loving those around us, the family that God had given us to love to and who love us. Of course, spending time with Him also allows us to spread His love in our communities to friends and at work.

To choose rest, I had to intentionally place Him above everything in my day. This has not always happened. I would be lying if I said that it did. However, I can testify of His faithfulness when I put on my armor of God in the morning, pray, and get into the Word before beginning my day. Those times when I have failed, He calls to me after I have fallen, brushes me off, and I start the right way wherever I am in the day. Resting is a choice. Choosing time with Him is a must. I choose time with You Lord. I will close with a prayer of surrender.

  Father, I thoroughly enjoyed my rest with You yesterday in the beautiful weather, the worship of our hearts in word and song burst forth. You are so good to us. Forgive me when I have said, 'in a minute' to You or chose to do other things to do which distract myself. I am grateful for grace and mercy. I repent and set new paths during this fast. I choose You first, over and over again. You are worthy. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Brothers and sisters, God knows that we hold some things with more importance than time with Him. If led, take a breath and pray with confidence confessing those things. He loves you. We can come boldly to the Throne of grace. He is calling His people to know Him more, which begins with rest. Let us intentionally answer that call.