Day 10: The Rest

“REST in the Lord, and wait patiently for him …” Psalm 37:7

Rest is such a beautiful word! It is a word that words cannot adequately describe, can they? I believe what makes it so beautiful is the picture that is painted when it is thought or spoken. I am by far not a beach type person for swimming, playing in the water, building sand castles … getting sunburnt … or even walking along the beach at sunset. Now, do not write me off yet! I have beautiful thoughts of beaches that we free of people, shiny, smooth sand and crystal blue waters. Oh, and a nice shady spot to catch the gentle breeze where I can relax with a tall, iced glass of tea. Now that is my style of beach!

I do not believe that was exactly what David had in mind when he wrote this verse though. I believe that he was wanting us to see this rest as a musical rest. You may not be musically inclined. Personally, I know enough to get me by on one hand and not enough to cause a major disaster on the other hand. I probably should have had my sister write this devotional instead of me. But, in music, there is a thing that is known as a rest. In it’s most literal sense, it is a pause or a span of time where all is silent. There is no music. There is no noise. I believe this is what David is wanting us to see here.

Without those spans of silence in music, many adverse things happen. The music loses its beauty. It feels rushed and   over-full. It feels endless. It brings weariness and fatigue (burn out). It brings dizziness and disarray. Can you now see why David wants us to know that we must rest?

Not only are we to rest, but David said that we are to “rest [be silent to] the Lord.” You know quite well as a parent how annoying and aggravating a non-silent child is, correct? They are moving and making noise from the moment that they get up out of bed until they go to bed that night. They do not seem to weary, but it sure makes you weary and wears on your nerves and energy stores. That is when you wish that they were your grandchildren so that you can send them home so that you can have some peace and quiet, am I right?

I am learning … age is a great educator … that times of rest are a very important part of my personal life, my health and my ministry to my Lord and Savior. Matthew 11:28 so clearly reminds us of what we are to do … “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Those silent spans in music were not invented by man. They were invented by God as a reminder to us that we need to rely on His strength and His timing. They are times that are not to be rushed. No, we are to keep the same timing during those rests. For those of us who have deceived ourselves into believing that we must be in motion 24/7 in the ministry, this is a very hard … but necessary … thing.

Rest in the Lord, my friend! Wait patiently upon Him! Resting time is not wasting time.