ACCEPT GOD’S GIFT OF REST
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do.
Deuteronomy 5:13-14 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
One of the gifts that God wants to give us at Christmas is the gift of rest. The God Who created us understood our need for rest. He knew we needed regular times for rest and refreshing of our spirit, soul, and body.
For most people the calendar between Thanksgiving and Christmas is anything but restful. The calendar can get full of activities and events we are supposed to attend. We often rush to get projects completed before the end of the year.
Looking back on that first Christmas it wasn’t much of a restful time for Mary and Joseph. They were forced to leave their home and travel back to the ancestral home of Joseph to register to be taxed. Imagine the stress on Mary being nine months pregnant and traveling some 90 miles on foot. Most scholars believe they had to travel about four days walking eight hours a day.
I believe God wants us to learn to rest in Him regardless of our present circumstances. Jesus said to us, “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.” (Matthew 11:28-29 NLT)
When we accept God’s gift of rest, we are expressing our trust in God’s ability to handle the issues in our life. We come to Jesus to find rest for our souls. This rest is a peace and calm that renews and restores us.
I have always struggled with taking time to rest because I feel unproductive or lazy. But God told the nation of Israel to take one day out of seven and not work. They were the only people who practiced this in their world. Imagine the nations around them wondering why these people don’t work on Sabbath. What a testimony to their faith in God.
What a testimony we can be to our world when we come to Jesus and accept His gift of rest.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to rest in Your arms. Help me to stop the whirlwind of activity and rest in You. Forgive me of always being busy.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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