REST

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” Psalm 37:7a

Ah! Rest!!  The idea of rest sounds so good right now, doesn’t it? And I don’t just mean a good night’s sleep.  Peace, quiet, calm … We crave it and we need it, yet it often eludes us.

Four verbs from a verse in the book of Jeremiah give us steps to finding rest for our souls.

o   “STAND” – Not run or bustle about, not fight or try harder – but STAND.

o   “SEE” – See what? Something was about to happen. God knew it and He wasn’t worried. Danger was coming and all their preparation and scurrying about would not change what God was about to do. Watch God work. Pay attention to what He is doing. Be warned and watchful.

o   “ASK" – “Ask for the ancient paths where the good way is…” Ask direction. Seek the guidance and teachings and instruction God has already given. Stop chasing after every new culturally acceptable idea that comes along. Don’t walk down the easy path. Don’t imitate the people around you. Stop scrambling to be trendy. Go back to the basics of life – Yes, return to that old book, The Bible, for in it you will find the good way! (Did you ever notice how each new idea that comes along is so quickly replaced by the next new idea?) God’s principles are timeless!

o   “WALK in it.” – In what? Walk in the good way, as given to you in My Word. Obey what I have already told you to do.

The Result?  Here it comes…  “You shall find REST for your souls.”

Altogether the verse reads like this:

“Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls...” Jeremiah 6:16

There it is! The way to soul rest!   Stand, See, Ask, Walk. But in the next part of the verse we read something incredible!   “But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.”

WE WILL NOT – That was their decision! 

It was an unwise rebellious decision, but they had a choice and they made it. They chose their own way.

              

                Rest is a choice

                Rest comes from the Lord

                Rest requires patient obedience to God.

Choose wisely. And may you find rest.

Until next time,

Ruth