Rest II

It's time for a guest post!  My friend, Pat, recently blogged her thoughts on a topic many of us struggle with: rest.  Being still...

"I am in a strange place. For many months now, actually for a year or two, I have been getting messages that I need to slow down. Unfortunately, like a wayward horse that wants to rush ahead at breakneck speed, I've been reluctant to slow down just because of 'my age.' If I am in good health, why shouldn't I carry my own groceries, escort our visitors around town, or continue multi-tasking long past 'normal working hours'?  The problem is that this kind of thinking misses the point.

"Mini-vacations out in the country from  time to time give me time for reflection. Gradually, a new perspective is dawning. It's not that I can't do these things - although I must confess I tire much more quickly than I used to... It is a matter of obedience, an obedience wrapped in faith, and the fact that God knows what I need. There's also the principle of passing 'the mantle' on to the next generation.

"The verses that come to mind are Hebrews 4:1, 10:

"Now, since God has left us the promise that we may enter His rest, let us be very careful so none of you will fail to enter... Anyone who enters God's rest will rest from his work as God did."

"Hebrews 4:1 is often interpreted as our life when we go to heaven. When I think of entering into God's rest, I see it as a matter of faith in the here and now, as well as in the eternal future. When I 'put on faith,' peace and rest come to my soul. And when I slow down and allow myself much needed alone time, I experience both a physical and a spiritual rest.

"Then, when the next wave of activity or necessity comes, I am better prepared than if I'd just kept going.

"When was the last time you stopped to 'rest'?"