Rest…

Do you ever feel like a hamster on a wheel?

Busy with this or that all day long, round and around, sometimes seeming to achieve little other than wear yourself out?

Then crashing at the end of the day, trying to relax, maybe hoping to lose yourself for a while, maybe in a good book or by scrolling social media?

Friends, that time sitting down may rest us but does it satisfy? There’s a fine line between relaxing on the one hand and numbing our minds with things that often just leave us feeling more empty!

There’s certainly nothing wrong with relaxing, our bodies need that rest at times but we do also need to be careful that we’re not trying to find our satisfaction, rest and peace in the things of this life, instead of pursuing the true rest, peace and joy that is to be found in Christ alone even in the middle of our busyness.

It’s resting in Christ as we physically rest that truly refreshes us to continue and its resting in and leaning upon Christ in those things that can’t be left undone that keeps us filled to continue.

What did God say through Jeremiah?…

‘Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye SHALL find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein..

Friend, will you walk in God’s ways or the ways of the world?

It’s the way it was at the very beginning, Adam and Eve, before they sinned and were banished from the garden, spent time walking and talking with God in the garden and Jesus has made a way for us too to have that communion with God.

Here is rest friends, true rest is found in God’s presence.

God ‘satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’

What an incredible promise.

There are some promises we know so well that we can easily gloss over them, without really taking in what they mean, such as Matt 11:28…

‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’

Are you weary Friend, exhausted, at the end of your strength, weighed down by the burdens of life and don’t know how to continue? The Saviour says COME, ‘Come unto Me… And I WILL give you rest!’

Friend, Come, ‘for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’ And He WILL give you rest.

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“O Christ, in thee my soul hath found,

and found in thee alone,

the peace, the joy I sought so long,

the bliss till now unknown.

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[Refrain]

Now none but Christ can satisfy,

none other name for me!

There’s love and life and lasting joy,

Christ Jesus, found in thee.

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I sighed for rest and happiness,

I yearned for them, not thee;

but while I passed my Saviour by,

his love laid hold on me. [Refrain]

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I tried the broken cisterns, ah!

But how the waters failed;

even as I stooped to drink they fled,

and mocked me as I wailed. [Refrain]

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The pleasures lost I sadly mourned,

but never wept for thee,

till grace the sightless eyes received,

thy loveliness to see. [Refrain]”

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Jer 6:16, Psalm 107:9, Matt 11:28, Neh 8:10,