"All who labor"

As the morning affords just a couple quiet minutes, I'm praying and pondering my thoughts, my circumstance, my anxiety. Am I valuable? Am I replaceable? Am I appreciated? Am I used?

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

It is human to spend my days acquiring self-worth and approval from others. I am easily fixated on approval from mankind. Desiring validation and  commendation, I feel deflated without it. It feels heavy.

The fear of man lays a snare,
but whoever trusts the Lord is safe. Proverbs 29:25

Jesus whispers, "You are working too hard for man's approval and it is a heavy burden, so come. No matter what others say, how they label you or make you feel, believe in My estimation of you."
First Peter 2:4 assumes we are coming to Jesus, ("As you come..") and affirms that we will be rejected, devalued by mankind but God has chosen us and deems us precious and as we choose to come to Him, rather than men for our identity. And as we come to Him, we are being fashioned into the person He has designed us to be.
Fearing man will leave you a hot mess but rightly fearing God, as we come to Him, is being fashioned into a masterpiece.

"Come to Me"

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
What would it look like if I learned what this really meant? For a month now, I've been praying this daily. Meditating on it. Believing it. Acting on it.
Today it means trusting in the Creator, not the created. Trusting in God for my hope and happiness, significance and security (New City Catechism, Question 17). My hope for this week doesn't depend on sticking to my new year's resolutions. My happiness for this day doesn't depend on a member of my family. My significance is not dependent on my job, or lack of employment.
The infamous they (whoever that is) say that one day your baby will just start waking up happy, jabbering to himself, playing, smiling... Well, I'm fourteen months into this and I can count on one hand the number of times that's happened. Nearly every wake time is followed by crying and panic. This little one wakes and depends on me for his happiness and security. It's a pathetic picture.
Is that what I look like? When the day's been a little tipsy-turvy, will I become an adult version of wailing, moaning and groaning for someone or something (uh, hum: chocolate and coffee) to be my hope and security? (Idolatry.) Or will I come to the Creator?
My security today and tomorrow rests alone in God my Creator, the very one who gives me breath.
I will claim that He is my happiness. He is my hope. He makes me significant. He is my security. I will come to Jesus and find rest.

Learn

If you search long enough, you'll find it. That's one truth God is teaching me lately: just keep searching, My Word really is all the instructions you need for life.
I had been wrestling and searching Scripture for God's will on a sticky situation that required a decision. One of those circumstances marred with emotion, past experiences, hurt and frustration. First of all, I hate decisions. What to make for dinner can be debilitating (okay, so maybe I'm getting better at that one), what to do on a date, when to schedule vacation, can she go to a friend's house... These are hard enough for me, but now I had to make a decision that had much more far reaching consequences. And I had to choose, I could not defer to my stronger husband.
There, tucked in my memory verse from my Bible study lesson was a nugget that I'd been reciting for weeks.

"Come to me all who labor and are weary laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.

In this situation, I knew God wanted me to learn from Jesus. Learn Jesus' way of gentleness and humility. Jesus wasn't bossy, He didn't stride around Galilee demanding, "His way or the highway." He gave people choice. He was compassionate and tender. He made time. He put aside His own personal preferences for the good of mankind. That's what He wants me to learn. And what better way to learn but by doing?
Great! Now I know Jesus' best choice for my decision, but then I realized this meant I had to do the exact thing I didn't want to do. It's easier to demand your own way. To choose your own preference, especially if you can take it. It's hard to say, "No, that's okay. You do it the way you want."
I had to choose obedience and trust the promise that accompanied Jesus' way of gentle humility: I would find rest for my soul. I'm thankful for His written Word that continually reassured me of pressing forward and for the engineer that empathetically walked beside me as I choose Jesus' way. And I did find rest, along with more humility. But I like Jesus' way and I'd do it again.
My sister-in-law helped me to see a simple example of this rest found when you learn gentle lowliness from Jesus. Late one evening, the girls wanted to play Pictionary. I'm not horrible at this game, but I just didn't want to play. I wanted to zone out and go to bed! But seeing their excitement, I agreed to play. (No, I didn't think about the gentle and humbly way of Jesus, it just seemed like the mom thing to do.) We had so much fun playing Pictionary that night and made so many memories, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. That's rest Jesus wanted me to find.
In what ways is God giving you opportunity to learn Jesus' way of gentleness and lowliness? Will you choose to follow Jesus' example, to learn from Him? I'm not certain, but chances are if you do, you will find more inner peace and rest from anxiety than if you demand your own way and exert your own idea.

It Came

I've been tickled at the rivalry between the boisterous and calculating golden heads to post the "Days 'Til Christmas" on our decor. Mostly because it means that I have one less "to do" and because I delight in their anticipation. Closer and closer...more about Jesus, less about cookies...
Challenged by a fellow blogger to really think about the words we sing at Christmas, I began wrestling over verse three of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear."

O ye, beneath life's crushing load
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow
Look now! For glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
O rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing

After a little research, I found that minister Edmund Sears penned this five-stanza poem in 1849 per  request for a Sunday School class on Christmas Eve. The world was not at rest and it seems this weighed heavy on Sears who could hardly pen an eloquent poem focused on beauty and peace in Bethlehem while the Christ-child was born within. America was at war with Mexico, revolution loomed in Europe and Sears saw the world in a rage and not wanting to hear the Christmas message: Jesus came once to save mankind and He's coming again.
If we have ears for the Christmas message, we can look forward to the "glad and golden hour" Jesus will return and even now "rest beside the weary road." However, how much of the world is caught up in the rituals and expectations of Christmas festivities, anxiety over a new president, finances, health care...? We can't possibly hear the Holy Spirit speaking to our souls: peace and reassurance, the promise of eternal life in God's presence.
No matter where your heart is this Christmas (I must admit, mine easily gets caught up in lists, cooking, wrapping, shopping...) will you rest and hear the message the angels brought 2000 years ago? This child came to change everything for us. Without His arrival, we were destined for torturous eternal death. Yet, if we would believe that all our sins were heaped upon Him and He satisfied God's wrath toward our sins by offering Himself as a perfect substitution for us, we can be assured of eternal life without fear. This is the "peace among those with whom He is pleased," (Luke 2:14) that the angels sang. Revel in this truth consistently this week.

It came upon the midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth,

To touch their harps of gold:

"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,

From heaven's all-gracious King."

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,

With peaceful wings unfurled,

And still their heavenly music floats

O'er all the weary world;

Above its sad and lowly plains,

They bend on hovering wing,

And ever o'er its babel sounds

The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife

The world has suffered long;

Beneath the angel-strain have rolled

Two thousand years of wrong;

And man, at war with man, hears not

The love-song which they bring;

O hush the noise, ye men of strife,

And hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life's crushing load,

Whose forms are bending low,

Who toil along the climbing way

With painful steps and slow,

Look now! for glad and golden hours

come swiftly on the wing.

O rest beside the weary road,

And hear the angels sing!

For lo!, the days are hastening on,

By prophet bards foretold,

When with the ever-circling years

Comes round the age of gold

When peace shall over all the earth

Its ancient splendors fling,

And the whole world give back the song

Which now the angels sing.

War within

It's almost bedtime. I'm tired and I finally see the text sent three-hours ago. The message sends waves of disappointment and loneliness pulsing through my veins. Disappointment morphs into anger. Sensing a a fork in my path (one path toward the chocolate and the other to God's rescue) I choose to grab my New Living Translation and nestle into bed by the lamplight with the psalms.
Though it's hard to focus on the meaning and depth of the words, my mind distracted and emotions searing. Yet, these words stand out boldly:

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I am trusting Him. Psalm 91:1-2

Read and reread but I can't concentrate. I take a bath and try to repeat the words from the verse the best I can, "refuge, safe place, I am trusting Him." This is only half my brain really. Anger had given way to fear and anxiety in a situation I could do nothing about. And I know this is Satan.

God most often appeals to my will by reason.
Satan most often appeals to my emotions. Satan attacks my reason and confuses an issue.  (The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges.)

I feel a full out battle raging within me: truth of God vs. the lies of Satan. In retrospect, I had no reason to fear. It wasn't logical to fear. There was no evidence that should lead to fear. Yet, in that moment, the fear and anxiety were so real. Fear smells like Satan's weaponry.
Hot and sweaty from my bath, I return to my bed and reread the words of the Psalm, trying to pray while drifting off to sleep. It's hard to turn off emotions. To choose to echo the true words of the psalmist: God's weaponry.
In the morning, I feel better and I visit with God about what happened. (I have a friend that asks God, "What was that about?") And suddenly I realize though I was home alone that night, I never felt alone. Spiritually, I wasn't alone. God's Holy Spirit was with me the whole time saying, This is the way, walk in it (Isaiah 30:21); Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14). And I realize that in the morning, my thoughts aren't so muddled. Suddenly my reason returns. God most often appeals to my choices by reason.
The battle was intense. At one crossroad, I choose God's way, yet at another, I fell victim to Satan's emotional attack. Though in the morning, I totally choose God and He responds to my choice in Psalm 91. Read these verses putting your name in the blank. God wants to respond to your choice. 

Because _____ holds fast to me in love, I will deliver her; I will protect _____ because she knows My name. When ______ calls to Me, I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble; I will rescue her and honor her with long life I satisfy _____ and show her my salvation. Psalm 91:14-16

"Christ"mas

It keeps reverberating in my head, Pastor Bruce’s question in his first Advent sermon this year, “How do you keep materialism out of Christmas?”

We went Black Friday shopping as an extended family outing. It did not bode well for my first-grader. She kept wanting everything and we kept saying, “Well, Christmas isn’t far away. We’ll add it to your list. You can’t have that (or that, or that or that) today.” Toward the end of the outing, she was moping alongside her shopping grandma when she said, “I just see all this stuff and I want it all. I know I shouldn’t feel that way.” Christmas in America creates a mentality of materialism.

Along with materialism, how do we not get caught up in the chaotic preparations for celebrating? As Christ-followers, how do we remember to dwell with Jesus, the “Christ” in Christmas?

Visiting with a friend after church last Sunday, she shared her experience of being miserably sick with the flu last Christmas. She expressed that all the things she had to do went undone and Christmas still happened. And she still experienced joy.

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’  Isaiah 30:15

In this verse, we see how we might save Christmas from materialism and chaos. By sitting, with coffee cup and Bible in hand, resting in Jesus. In stopping daily to confess my mess-ups to Jesus. Driving in silence; talking and listening to God instead of the radio. In making a to-do-list but verbally telling God that I trust He will allow me to accomplish exactly what He desires for this day. By prioritizing Jesus, not things, stuff, events or my infamous “to do list.” (Someone please tell me I’m not alone with my lists…) By choosing to stop your family once a day and read an Advent devotional (or any Scripture). Through our example, those in our sphere of influence (family, friends and neighbors) will see the Christ in Christmas, not the materialism or busyness.

Are you prioritizing Christ in Christmas? How will you choose to return and rest this December?

Anchor

The more I know Jesus, the more I realize that the outcome of my life is a choice. And in the dark morning hour, He gave me a vivid contrast of choices: an anchor or waves. Doesn’t life brew some choppy waters? But we can choose an anchor. Jesus can be our anchor so we don't just get tossed along.

On that day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was. And other boats were with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Mark 4:35-40

I've never noticed that little phrase tucked in verse 36: "(the disciples) took (Jesus) with them in the boat, just as (Jesus) was." We can't know exactly what that implies, but looking at the entire situation, we know Jesus had just been teaching large crowds on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, likely for days. And that immediately following getting in the boat, He fell asleep. I conclude that Jesus was tired and He chose rest.
Do you sometimes feel tired? One child has the flu (which they share with everyone else in the family) the week you need extra time to prepare for a big presentation. Several unpleasant meetings at work, along with an unending inbox of emails and family demands. Three different activities, in three different cities on one night. Dishes piled in the sink, an empty pantry, sticky messes on the floor and laundry baskets overflowing. It’s so easy to get pulled into the storm. It’s what naturally happens. But we weren’t meant to constantly strive like the disciples in that storm on the sea of Galilee. Jesus had that storm under control. He has your storm under control and He’ll control the next one too. Take a lesson from Jesus and rest.

Be still (cease striving) and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10a

When the disciples went to Jesus in the middle of the storm, I notice two big things. First, Jesus rebuked the storm. If the root of the storm is symbolic of Satan, then we know the waves or chaos of life aren't the enemy, Satan is. Satan is using any means possible to separate us from Jesus, so he will tempt us, distract us and attack us with the busyness of life. Jesus has overcome the Satan and God's given us everything we need to stand against Satan's schemes. Second, I think there is a parallel between when the waves calm down and when the disciples stop trying in their own power to fight the storm. When we stop fighting and put down our Anchor (focus on Jesus), there is a calm.
So how do you rest like Jesus? As soon as you wake, talk to God. Tell Him Psalm 46:10a, "God, today, I am stopping striving and choosing to rest in You because You have this day under control." The more you choose to dialogue with Him through your day, the more opportunities you’ll have to choose His way of rest. When the storm is rough, stand firm and see that Satan's trying to use your crazy day to pull you away from the rest Jesus intends you to have. Choose the Anchor that gives rest.

Margin

In a discussion with dear friends, margin was the topic. Margin is the difference between load and power; where Power is energy, skills, time, training, emotional and physical strength, faith, finances and relational support and load is represented by work, problems, obligations, commitments, debt, deadlines, interpersonal conflict, etc. Margin is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. "Marginless is not having time to finish the book you’re reading on stress; margin is having the time to read it twice.” (Richard A. Swenson, The Overload Syndrome, 1998 and Margin, 2004.) Marginless is is wondering if anyone has seems a robin. Margin is listening and seeing the spring birds migrate north.
Contemplating, discussing and analyzing margin, I begin to think different people are wired to need different amounts of margin. I think my body needs more margin than most.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...Titus 2:11-13

Maintaining margin seems to be an example of living the self-controlled, upright and godly life that Paul instructs Titus. Dr. Richard Swenson shares some steps to attaining margin in your life:

1. Save the spaces in life for what really matters
2. Plan for the unexpected
3. Be intentional
4. Say no to non-priorities
5. Tame TV and technology
6. Periodically disconnect; control interruptions
7. Nourish relationships
8. Stop the hustle, slow the pace
9. Use the gift God gives for enjoyment (free time)
10. Define and defend your boundaries

My week reiterated this discussion with friends. My load was fruit basket upset. No school Monday, therefore fun times but my load was increased without an increase in power supply (time). However, so reassured, our family Tuesday morning devotion reassured me that God always directs our steps. My "hiccups" or surprises are never a surprise to Him, they are part of His plan to transform me and use me. This same morning was full of meetings and commitments followed by a call from the school nurse. Wednesday was a high fever and numerous plan Bs curtailing un"necessary" trips to the grocery store and errands. Thursday was having a day of well-children, away from home all day and envisioning the catch-up that would have to wait until Friday. And Friday morning longing for some rest and reprieve (margin), God stopped me in the creation story. Every day God used to create earth is summed up, "And there was evening and there was morning, the ___ day." Evening comes first. The dark. The time of rest and replenishment. Then comes the day. Again, I hear God telling me His rest comes before the activity. This is when I resolve to spend the beginning of my Friday resting in Him. Not running the errands that have been waiting since Tuesday. Not going on a run. Not cleaning the house. But curling up for at least an hour with my coffee, Bible and maybe my writing to rest in Him. Then the day will come and make time enough for all the items that need me.
Not thirty-minutes later, "My head hurts and my tummy hurts." Oh, those viruses are contagious? Of course, sisters share everything. So again, God directs my day and I believe He directs me to trust in His provision, His timing and His rest. Yes, there will be items I can't check off my list (anything having to do with leaving the house) but there will be margin, time. And that's when my ailing little golden head says, "Mom come quick, look at that bird." Two red-necked male finch perch on the deck railing. In His time, in His way, He's teaching me margin and rest.
How much margin do you need? How much rest do you need? How is God methodically arranging your day to create both rest and margin? Will you choose to trust His perfect timing?

A tiny little Hebrew word

Continually remembering to take Jesus' yoke...still a daily challenge. I may be mostly through the day, hours after my morning cup of coffee with Jesus begging to let Him lead me (the younger, inexperienced ox) and yet, at 4pm thinking, "Oh, I forgot to let Jesus lead." I am so frustrated! Yet, I know His mercies are new every morning and that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Trudging on, ho!

Then tucked in my study of Romans (15:12), trying to follow the apostle Paul, he quotes Isaiah 11:10,

In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. 

Isaiah is predicting the righteous reign of Christ, a future event. A future that gets me stoked! The imagery of the wolf and lamb, cow and bear painting a picture of peace and rest is often quoted in this chapter of Isaiah. In that peaceful day, He will be a signal or banner. I picture a white flag of surrender as the nations, everyone, allows Him to rightfully rule and reign. And then looking deeper into the meaning of the word translated inquire, I am graciously blown away at His revelation to me.

The Hebrew word darash, H1875, is a verb that has multiple meanings:

1. To tread a place with feet, therefore, to go to a place frequently, to go to a person frequently with prayer, to implore his aid. (This is where we get our root word for threshing.)
2. To seek, search after.
3. To inquire from one.
4. To ask for, demand (beg, ask back, punishment).
5. To study, follow, practice, anything--to apply and care for anything.

To be frequently approaching Christ, seeking him, studying him, following him. Isn't this a beautiful picture of what it means for me to continually, constantly remember to take Jesus' yoke? And Isaiah's prophecy comes with a promise, "his resting place shall be glorious." The nations darash on Christ because they expect (hope) that He will answer, heal, help, guide, etc. Interestingly, when Paul quotes Isaiah's prophecy, he uses the word hope in place of inquire. Therefore, he obviously thought to inquire was synonymous with hope. Inquiring is similar to hoping, expecting His answer and as a result of this hope, Isaiah promises that we will receive rest! This is the easy yoke Jesus means in Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, an you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

Christ is the hope in flesh. Without treading a worn out path toward Christ we have no hope and no rest. I am in Christ, but how do I darash Him? How do I have the persistence of a 4-year old who never gives up the asking and tugging on my arm until I go exploring with her or play a game with her?
Starring at the page, does verse 13 (Romans 15) answer my questioning?

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Paul believes God to fill the Romans with joy and peace so that their lives are marked by very much hope/darash/seeking/treading possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. So I start now by treading a path back and forth to Jesus and in time (marked by joy and peace) I will abound in the seeking. The path from me to Jesus will be a beat down dirt path. This is possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. I need to pray the Holy Spirit helps me darash.
Join me today, in begging the Holy Spirit allow us to darash (tread back and forth, inquiring) Jesus each day this week. In a week, we'll see if our status is marked by rest.