Time. It goes by so quickly. Minutes turn into hours. Hours turn into another day come and gone. Each day I can be overcome with a hectically busy routine. I know I’m not alone. Cleaning, cooking, taking care of a child, errands, grocery shopping- the lists could go on forever.
Amongst the busy of my days, it seems there is just no time to rest. I must intentionally schedule “rest”. But that does not come without sacrificing another portion of my busy day. This requires, though, that I wake up extra early before my son, utilize his nap time, or wait until after he goes to sleep at night.
I often joke with my husband about this exact situation. He chooses to stay up an hour after our son goes to sleep in order to retrieve his rest. I’ve always said, “I’ll get my rest with my eyes shut”!
But as I pause to reflect upon our joking, I have to admit… He’s actually [almost] right! gasp! I do need to set aside time to rest. And not just the sleeping kind of rest. Not the kind of “rest” that has my eyeballs glued to the TV or my phone. Not the kind of “rest” that has me pampering myself while being surrounded by everyone else’s problems.
Im talking about a soul rest. A time to rest at the feet of my Heavenly Father. A time to be in prayer without asking for something in return. A time to study, meditate, and reflect upon the Word. A time to just sit and listen to God’s voice.
I am reminded about how Jesus often took a time to rest. He spent much time traveling, teaching, healing, performing miracles, etc. Amongst the busy of His days, it could have been that there was just no time to rest. He had a lot of work that needed done for the sake of saving souls.
But Jesus. He still found a time to rest. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.- Mark 6:30-32 (NIV)
And the need for rest is not just stressed here. Another account where Jesus commends a woman for her rest is found in Luke 10:38-42..
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Martha felt there was no time to rest. She allowed the busy of her day to consume her. But, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. In this context, “sat” is to place near, to sit down beside. And, “listen” is to give ear to teaching or to a teacher, to comprehend or to understand.
This is the key in what it means for me to enter in a time to rest. I must choose to sit down beside the Word of God, to give ear to His teaching, and to comprehend and understand Him. This is where my soul will truly find 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.”- Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)
Sacred Sheep 