In this place, I’m resting in more than I can see.*
Jesus, please forgive me for thinking I was anything without You. I must have Your rest, Lord, living in me. Then, I want to show others that You, Your comforting rest, is real and available to all.
Supposing you eliminated suffering, what a dreadful place the world would be! I would almost rather eliminate happiness. The world would be the most ghastly place because everything that corrects the tendency of this unspeakable little creature, man, to feel over-important and over-pleased with himself would disappear. He’s bad enough now, but he would be absolutely intolerable if he never suffered.
Malcolm Muggeridge
I’m no saint. But, I’m finding that Jesus is taking over all of my desires. He’s hiding my heart away. And, something seeming impossibly wonderful is taking place in me. Really, I can only sum it up in One Word. Him.
Though He slay me, yet will I serve Him. When you get to that point, all of the conditions and devilish temptations that try to pry you from God’s love vanish. All you’re left with is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And, They’re everything.
God will use any means necessary to bring us to His simple rest. The devil and our flesh will fight this. It’s just the way of the flesh and our hateful, jealous adversary. I know this is going to sound way over simplified, but I believe it’s true. When it’s all said and done, God really wants us to have the simple life He planned for us. His simple Life may involve loss, suffering and struggles. But, He wants all of the striving, stress and pressure off of us so we can simply believe and trust Him so we can enter and forever dwell in His rest. Everything outside His rest is “us,” and the lies of the enemy we’re tempted to believe.
Casting all (that means everything on our “care” list) my care on Him makes the simple life possible. And believing that He works all things together for my good eliminates “conditionally” loving Him. The Words, “I’ve learned to be content in whatsoever state I am” have rescued your life from the destruction discontentment brings. Contentment is a huge part of His love operating in your life. It’s that span of existence void of my list of demands and conditions. That span is now full of Him. This is true peace, rest and joy unspeakable. His Love covenant with us is immeasurable and one He longs to reveal and one He directs us to discover. Wow.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
When unrest is gone, we’re left with Rest.
Oh, hallelujah, precious Jesus!
Thanking and praising God in all things,
Mark
*Lyric by Twila Paris
Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.