At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the LORD: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit. For there shall be a day when sentinels will call in the hill country of Ephraim: “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.” (Isaiah 31:1-6, NRSV)
Do you feel like you have to be doing something in order that the kingdom of God will come?
We feel like in order to be serving God we have to go go go and never stop or rest.
But did you see it in the reading, when Israel sought rest…
Israel the man sought rest, or Israel the country sought rest, and The Lord appeared, and gave him rest!
God loves us with an everlasting love, and so will always be looking out for our best. Sometimes that means He will give us rest, and if we don’t take it, it will be given in a way we won’t refuse, or maybe can’t refuse.
Working in God’s kingdom could be like being physically fit. If you are constantly moving and working out, you will not build muscle or endurance, you will actually wear yourself out and make yourself sick. Youhave to rest and allow your body to heal, so it can grow and develop. That is what God does for us by giving us rest, He allows us to heal and develop into who He created us to be.
Plus God rested after He created everything, so If He rested, why do we think we have to go go go? Just rest in Him!
aSacredRebel 