Enter into Rest

I shared yesterday about my priorities being called back into order by the Lord.  Him first.  I shared with you that sitting still and being quiet isn't easy for me.  Well here is another one that I've been noodling in recent days as I've been taking this trip to rejuvenation God's way.  ENTERING INTO REST.  I'm studying Hebrews in my 5x5x5 devotional guide that our Pastor recommended to our church this year.  In Hebrews 4, Paul (and I personally think he wrote this book of the Bible) is talking to the new believers about the Day of Rest.  He goes all the way back to the creation of the world and the example laid out for us there in Genesis.  God worked, created for 6 days, and then He entered into rest.  Paul is encouraging the new believers here that they too need to follow this guideline and find a pause to their work and enter into rest.  Now the Jewish tradition is very strict about the Sabbath day.  A devout Jew followed the law which stated that they couldn't carry anything, do any work, even walk a mile on the Day of Rest.  Here Paul is speaking to the devout Jewish converts who have overcome the law and believed in Christ that are struggling with their new faith vs. the old law.  He is encouraging them that they do need a day of rest  Hebrews 4:10-11 says, "Let the person who has entered HIS rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His.  Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience."   I am not legalistic...thank God for breaking free from the binds of legalism, and being that I WORK on Sunday since I am in full time ministry, I know that I am not being disobedient as this scripture is encouraging them to avoid.  And it does say "make every effort"; however the command to rest still remains.  

So how does a person in full time ministry enter into rest?  CREATIVELY of course! Theoretically, there is another day which should be a day of rest.  Friday is my day off and that is the day I set aside as my day of rest, but if I'm not really careful, it can get away from me. Sometimes getting ready for Sunday just isn't finished on Thursday by 5 pm.  Well, most weeks it isn't.  But as I'm taking the journey of rejuvenation God's way, I'm realizing that "entering into HIS rest" is a must in this process.  All I can honestly say right now is that I am taking this matter to Christ in prayer, especially when those weeks come when we must use our day off to complete the tasks so that our members can come and be blessed and enter into worship on their Day of Rest.  And as wonderful as the power source is (God's Word) the Lord gave us this verse in Hebrews 4:16, "Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need."  The job of a person is full-time ministry can't always guarantee an entire day every 6 days...and there is grace and not law in this area; however, I know that this command is for my health - spiritually, mentally, emotionally - even Jesus took rest even if it was just an hour of prayer in a quiet spot away from the disciples.  I am taking this need in my life boldly to the throne.  Rejuvenation God's way means He'll make the time.  He'll carve out the moments.  He'll provide the strength.  He'll meet the need and I will find grace in my time of need.  And since He is the great Creator, He'll help me find creative ways on busy weeks to enter into rest...as long as I'm doing this God's way and entering into HIS REST.  Make every effort to enter into rest....God commands it and we need it.   

Quiet The Creative

So, it's been a while. I know and I was doing so well with keeping my posts on a pretty regular basis. And the truth is, I have missed this outlet. I'll give you a quick overview of why I took my break.

Our church hosted a conference that set up five 15 hour days for me right in a row. That week ended with me attending a Creative Church Conference that I really felt would be the thing to rejuvenate me from the big work load I had just finished. Only, I found myself almost feeling depressed at the conference. I can't explain it except to say that I just felt emptied out. Then I caught what I think was the flu (my daughter had it terrible) and wound up in the bed. Isn't it funny that God can use awful things like the flu to help us slow down and be forced to take care of ourselves for a little while. And while I was on my back, doing lots of sleeping, I felt the still small voice of the Lord doing lots of speaking to my soul. I had put together a lot of great work for a lot of people, but I had done most of it under my own strength. I felt the Lord was calling me to an adjustment of my priorities after this long run of churning out the work. So, I started on my second day at home in the bed by tapping back into my Power Source - God's Word. I made a list of everything that I had stopped doing that I was doing before this really busy time hit.. I was sure that just getting back to all my stuff would get me rolling again and feeling like myself, but the Lord just said "Wait". I felt like He wanted some of my creative outlets to be on hold. And I know it is because I had gotten out of sorts in a way. I couldn't put my family and all my responsibility on hold. I couldn't put my job responsibilities on hold. But I did feel that Christ was calling me back to order. Him first. He provides the energy. He makes the way. He lengthens the time. He creates the ideas and gifts them to me. And He was calling me back to sit and listen.
I have to be honest, I struggle with sitting still and being quiet. I know, this is not a big revelation for those of you that know me well, and obviously not for the Lord either. But I didn't really need a day at the spa. I didn't really need to get inspiration from an amazing conference. I needed to sit at the feet of my Father, tap into the power that raised His Son from the dead, listen and be filled. And it's funny, work didn't suffer, family didn't suffer. I didn't lose my creative edge from being quiet and waiting. What I found was what I went to that conference seeking - a resurgence God's power...the one Paul speaks of in Ephesians 1:17-19, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in heaven."
If you serve in a creative field or even just read this blog, this is my prayer for you. When we run out of ideas, find ourselves exhausted and empty, we can be like Elijah in the Old Testament after the victory at Mt. Carmel. We can sit down and talk to the Lord. He told Elijah to eat and sleep. And when we was rested, the Lord told him to get up and run. There was more work to do. It is just so much easier when we use His unlimited power instead of our feeble attempts.