Rest a While

How often do you rest? Do you take time to not just get enough rest to continue one more day, but a renewing rest that energizes you for weeks? Have you ever taken a sabbatical? Do you plan to take a sabbatical? Are your vacations restful or hectic?

We know getting the proper rest is important. We may be good at getting seven or eight hours sleep each night. We may even set aside time during the day to rest. Perhaps we read a devotional and pray first thing in the morning. Perhaps we do that in the evening.

In a culture that is constantly on the go, getting rest can be a challenge. We think we must be on the go all the time, just like we think everyone else is. Yet, everyone else may not be as on the go as we think. Sure, they go places and do things. We all do. And we talk about it. But think for just a moment. All those people who talk about going all the time are likely the same people that talk about constantly being tired.

We need rest. We need time away from the hustle and bustle. We need a sabbatical, even if only a few days. We need to completely decompress and renew our energy level. Jesus knew this, too. That is why He told His disciples to go to a deserted place with Him. He knew they needed a break from the crowds. He knew they needed a deeper rest than merely sleeping that night.

We can learn a lesson from Jesus’ actions. He directed His disciples to get away from all the activity and get a deeper level of rest. We can get away from the activity, too. We can achieve a deeper level of rest. When we do, we will find that our body and mind is reenergized, providing us more focus for the tasks we must complete.

I pray we all seek a deeper rest. I pray we take time to get away from the hustle and bustle. I pray each one of us will find a quiet place to be rejuvenated and reenergized. Seek a deeper rest. Get away from the hustle and bustle. Be rejuvenated. Be reenergized. Be renewed.

Mark 6:30-31 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

Celebrating God Together

Who do you celebrate God with? Do you celebrate him only when in a church building? Do you celebrate him only with people who are like minded? Are you willing to celebrate God with people who are different from you? Why or why not?

Celebrating God is something we should do continually. We know that. But do we do that? Celebrating God with our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world is something we should do. We should celebrate our differences. After all, they are God given.

We see David and the house of Israel celebrating God as the ark of the covenant was brought into Jerusalem. There were differences among them. We can reasonably assume some were strong in their faith while others were barely holding on to it. We also know there were different tribes within Israel. Each of them likely had their own viewpoint, just as different denominations do.

Yet, there was at least one who was not happy—Michal. She was the daughter of Saul and wife of David. She despised him for dancing and shouting and singing before the Lord. Are we like that? Do we despise people who worship God differently than we do?

We can be like Michal, hating those who are different. Or we can rejoice and celebrate our God given differences and dance (whether physically or spiritually) before God. May we choose to celebrate God and one another. May we not despise others for celebrating God differently.

I pray we all celebrate God. I pray we celebrate his differing gifts to us. I pray each one of us will rejoice in God’s diverse blessings and honor differing styles of worshiping him. Celebrate God. Be joyful in his presence. Celebrate his gifts. Celebrate his diversity. Honor God at all times.

2 Samuel 6:14-15 David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

Godly Leaders

Do you expect your leaders to take care of you? Do you believe they should put the sheep before they, the shepherd, partake? Do you depend on God to provide for your everyday needs? If you are a leader, do you put the needs of those you lead ahead of your own needs?

Being a leader is more than bossing people around. In fact, true leaders rarely need to boss anyone around. They lead by example. They show those they are leading they care for them. In return, those they are leading do all they can to support their leader.

David was not only the King of Israel, but he was also a true leader. Though he may have decided the ark of the covenant should be returned to Jerusalem and lead the way, he did not forget the people of Israel in the midst of it. Rather than beating his chest and pontificating how great he was, he sacrificed to God and fed the Israelites. After the people had seen his love and care for them, they went home contented.

Oh, that we would have more leaders like David. Sure, he made his mistakes. But his love for God’s people was evident, and they loved him back. He could have told them he wanted them to walk across fiery coals and they would have done it. Instead, he took care of them. He led them to greatness. He asked God for guidance and followed God’s guidance as it was given.

If we become leaders, what kind of leaders will we be? Will we be dictators who lead out of fear? Or, will we be leaders who put our people before ourselves and lead out of love? Only one of those choices is a Godly choice. The other comes from Satan. We can choose to follow God or choose to follow Satan, even as leaders. May each of us make the Godly choice.

I pray we all recognize a Godly leader. I pray we see more Godly leaders in the world. I pray each one of us will choose to follow God, especially if we become a leader. Choose to follow God’s guidance. Choose to be a Godly leader. Pray for more Godly leaders.

2 Samuel 6:18-19 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.

See God’s Creation

We know that God created the heavens and the earth. But how often do we think about it? Have you ever taken time to view the stars at night? Have you seen majestic mountains in the distance and driven for several miles just to get to the base of them? Have you flown in an airplane and looked down at the earth passing below you?

God’s creation is amazing. If we take a few moments and really notice it all, we are in awe of it. The mighty oak starts as a small acorn. The mighty Mississippi River starts at Itasca Lake, MN and flows north for several miles before turning east, then south becoming larger along the way due to several tributaries.

We see everyday reminders of God’s magnificent creation. There are the multi-colored flowers around our homes or along the highway. There are the bees who pollinate the flowers. We see tiny bugs and large cattle. We encounter many people who all look and act different, yet we are 99.9% the same in our DNA.

The evidence of God’s existence and his creation is all around us. How can we be so blind that we do not see it?! Might I suggest we are so busy we miss it. We focus on our immediate situation, having tunnel vision, rather than seeing the bigger creation. We strive to put things under our control, rather than admitting that God is in control.

If we want to fully worship God, to be in awe of him, we must open our eyes and see his creation. To fully appreciate what God has done for us, we need to see what he has done all around us. Will we open our eyes? Will we be in awe of God? Will we fully worship him?

I pray we all open our eyes to God’s creation. I pray we see his majesty in what we see every day. I pray each one of us desires to fully worship God with awe and wonder at his creation. Open your eyes. See God’s creation. Be in awe of God. Seek to fully worship him.

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, 

the world, and those who live in it; 

for he has founded it on the seas,

and established it on the rivers.

Live In God’s Promises

How well do you accept truth? Will you believe truth when you hear it? Do you know the good news? Have you heard the promises of God? Have you been sealed with the Holy Spirit? Do you know you have an inheritance? Do you know how you should react to all of this?

Truth can be hard to hear. We can fool ourselves into believing something other than the truth. The truth of God’s promises is good news. His promise of the Holy Spirit has God walking with us every day. His promise of salvation is a promise only he can make.

We have been redeemed through God’s promises. He sent his Son to be the perfect sacrifice, once for all. He promised our redemption through that sacrifice. He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. He promised an inheritance when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior. God has delivered on his promises.

How are we to react to God’s fulfilment of his promises? We are to praise him. We are to give him the glory. We can do that in many forms. One way is by attending worship services. Another way is to give him the credit when we achieve something. Yet another way is to praise him for the beauty he has created in this world. In other words, we can praise him and give him the glory every day.

The apostle Paul says a lot with few words. He speaks truth succinctly. We need to unpack those truths and apply them in our lives. By applying them in our lives, we can live a more joyful life, rejoicing in God’s wonderful promises. We can live into those promises, holding onto them, even when things do not go as we would like.

I pray we all know God’s promises. I pray we live in the promises of God. I pray each one of us praise God in worship, in our achievements, and for the beauty he has created. Know God’s promises. Live in his promises. Apply his promises to your life. Hold onto his promises. Praise God for his promises.

Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Hope of Jesus

Can you list everything you have done wrong in your life? Do you remember every little detail and every wrong you committed, even those that may be so minute as to seem unimportant? What is you could? How long would that list be? How many pages would it take to print them?

We all commit wrongs during our lives. Some are viewed as insignificant. Others are far more significant. Some may even result in serious injury or death of ourselves or someone else. We commit some wrongs as children, not fully understanding the impact of the wrong.

I confess. I cannot remember every wrong I have committed in my life. However, I do remember some of them. I can remember borrowing a dime from another boy when I was in fifth grade and never repaying him. It is insignificant now. The dime did not result in life or death. I cannot remember why I borrowed it. I simply remember I never paid him back.

Regardless of what wrongs we have committed; we can rest assured that we have been forgiven by God. Not because we deserve it. Only because Jesus paid the price for our wrongs. It is because we belong to Christ that we can be forgiven. But that is not all. Not only are we forgiven but we are lavished with the riches of his grace!

Through the sacrifice and rising of Jesus, God blesses us more than we realize. We know we live in a chaotic world. Yet, we can have peace in Jesus. We know that one day our mortal bodies will give out. But we know we will go to live with Him forever. It is because of God’s grace that we have hope for tomorrow and for eternity.

I pray we all know we are forgiven. I pray we know God has granted us riches by his grace. I pray each one of us know that because of Jesus we have hope and life everlasting. Know you are forgiven. Know God’s grace is shed on you. Believe God has blessed you. Hold onto the hope provided by Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7-8a In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.

Chosen Before Time

Do you remember elementary school? Do you remember there were certain kids who were chosen first when choosing teams to play kickball? Was there a certain group of kids who always chose one another? Were you part of that group or were you on the outside?

In every class of every school there is always a group of kids who are athletic and seem to gravitate toward one another. When games like kickball or dodge ball are played, they always choose one another. It can make those not part of the group feel left out.

The feeling of being left out can continue into adult life. We may feel left out in many situations, including in our local church. Yet, we can take comfort that God has chosen us. Not only has God chosen us, but he chose us before he created the world. We may wonder how this can be. We were not alive yet. Our birth was thousands of years into the future. But God knows all of history, since he lives outside of time. He sees it all at once. That is why we can say that for God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.

Not only has God chosen us, but he has also blessed us. Most importantly, he has blessed spiritually in the heavenly places. He has prepared a perfect place for us to be for all eternity. Yet, there is a connection between the spiritual realm and the physical realm. Through God’s blessing of our spirit, we are blessed physically. With God’s Holy Spirit living within us, our spirit is blessed. This is the reason we can say God is walking with us, holding our hand, and guiding us through this life. All of our blessings come through Jesus Christ. This demonstrates the trinity working together as one. All of this because God chose to save us before he created the world.

I pray we all know we are chosen by God. I pray we know that God is always with us. I pray each one of us realize we are blessed both spiritually and physically because of Jesus Christ. You are chosen by God. God chose you before time began. You are blessed spiritually. You are blessed because of Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.

Reminders of God

Are there special things that remind you of God? Do you carry a cross to remind of the love of Christ and His sacrifice for you? Do you find your mood changes the moment you walk into a church? Are there items in the sanctuary that remind of God and his power?

Though we are told not to make idols to worship, there is nothing wrong with us having items that remind us of who he is. Some of us carry or wear a cross as a reminder. Make no mistake, we are not to worship the cross. But we can certainly look it as a reminder of Jesus’ love for us.

In our worship services we also have reminders. When we partake of communion, we are reminded of Jesus’ love and sacrifice. As we sing hymns and songs, we are reminded of God’s majesty and power. As we pray, we are reminded that God cares about us and wants to hear our worries, desires, thanks, and praises.

The Israelites had an item to remind them of God—the ark of the covenant. David decided to lead the Israelites to go get the ark and bring it back to Jerusalem. It was a reminder to the entire nation that God had spoken to Moses, written his commandments to them, had blessed them as they wandered in the desert. The Israelites did not worship the ark, but it was a significant reminder to them.

We can be like David and carry reminders of God with us. Unlike David, we can carry them with us every day. As we carry them, we should periodically look at them and give thanks for his blessings. We can use them to remind us to pray and praise God. They can also remind us he is with us all the time, especially during the tough times.

I pray we all wisely use items to remind us of God. I pray we do not worship those items. I pray each one of us use the reminders to cause us to pray, give thanks, and praise God. Use items to remind you of God. Do not worship the items. Pray. Give thanks. Praise God. Know he is always with you.

2 Samuel 6:2 David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim.

Shake It Off

Where do you seek to stay when you travel? Do you stay with family or friends? Do you find a nice hotel to stay in? Do you pull a camper and set up in a campground? How much do you depend on others when you travel? Are you sure it is not more than you think?

Traveling comes with all kinds of considerations. We must decide where we will stay, how we will get there, how much we plan to spend, and when we will travel just to name a few. All of these require us to depend on others, whether we like to admit it or not.

Consider where we will stay. If we are staying with family and friends, we are depending on them. If we are staying at a campground, we are depending on the campground staff. If we are staying in a hotel, we are depending on the hotel staff. If we travel by vehicle, we depend on rest area staffs, gas station staffs, and maybe restaurant staffs. If we are traveling by air, we may still depend on gas station staffs, also airport staff, airline staff, and perhaps rental car staffs. We depend on a lot of people when we travel.

When the apostle’s traveled, they did not have near the number of people to depend on. Yet, Jesus tells them to be aware of the people they do depend on. If someone was unwilling to welcome them, they were to shake the dust off their feet and go on. We might say today to let it be like water off a duck’s back. In other words, don’t let it bother you. Don’t complain. Don’t worry. Simply let them be and go on your way.

Unfortunately, we like to complain. If someone at a hotel is rude, we feel like we must harp on it for half an hour, then bring it up the next time we talk about our travels with family. We simply don’t let it go. Based on the instructions Jesus gave the apostles, and we often apply to ourselves, I would say we are disobeying Jesus when we do such a thing. Let’s simply let it go and move on as Jesus says to do.

I pray we all recognize how many people we depend on when we travel. I pray we shake it off if someone is rude. I pray each one of us seeks to obey Jesus as we travel. Let it go. Shake it off. Obey Jesus. Move on. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Mark 6:10-11 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

Go with Nothing

Have you traveled from place-to-place or city-to-city? What did you do to prepare for your trip? Did you pack a suitcase with clothing, shoes, toiletries, and maybe a book or two? How would you feel if you traveled without taking anything with you? Would you be comfortable?

When we travel, we pack a suitcase with all we think we will need for the time we will be gone from home. We also will take additional cash and/or credit cards to pay for things. If we are driving, we might take along food to make sandwiches, chips, snacks, and drinks.

Jesus sends out His twelve apostles in pairs. He shared His divine powers with them. But He told them to take nothing with them. They were to take no food, no bag, and no money. In other words, they were to only take a walking staff and the clothes on their backs. And speaking of their clothing, they were not to have two garments on. When Jesus says not to wear two tunics, He was saying do not were an outer shirt or, as we might say, jacket. They were to only wear one shirt. That would make for some chilly nights, since they often used the other shirt as a blanket as well.

We might wonder why Jesus would give such detailed and restrictive instructions. I believe the answer is simple. Jesus wanted them to stretch their faith and trust God would provide. He still does this with us at times. He nudges us down a path or may even give us direct instructions to go down a path that we know we cannot navigate on our own. By doing what he wants us to, God causes us to stretch our faith. The more we learn to trust in God, the more we see him provide for us, and the more our faith grows.

I pray we all seek to follow where God is leading us. I pray we trust God to always provide for us. I pray each one of us step out in faith, depend on God, and grow our faith. Choose to follow God. Trust God will provide. Step out in faith. Watch God work. Grow your faith.

Mark 6:7-9 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.