I'm back, so listen up!

REST!! What is rest?? According to one dictionary definition it means "to be at peace or ease", "free from anxiety or distress." As you can see from the picture, Phil doesn't seem to be having much trouble with this, especialy when his grand-daughter is around. Me...now that's another story.

Phil and I spent many years in the ministry, everything seemed to be rolling along, everything going good, and then, some very unexpected things happened that changed our lives drastically. But, as I relect back on all those years, something stands out to me that has changed the way I look at our spiritual lives, and some questions form in my mind.

Were we so intent on raising our children, reaching out to those many, many people in need, filling the calendar with as many activities as possible, to really maintain our relationship with God? Instead of ministering out of the "overflow" of our walk with God, were we trying to get by on our own strengths and skills?

Ephesians 2:6----And hath raised us up together, and MADE us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Seated? In Heavenly Places? In order to be seated you have to be prepared to rest. I know that the only time I sit is when I'm resting. That's not very often. When we sit in a chair we are resting our body. So, to sit in heavenly places with Christ, we must enter into "inner peace".

Rest is freedom from worry and frustration. Now, worry and frustration happens because WE try to do what ONLY GOD can do. When we rest in Him, He promises peace. I'm trying very, very hard to learn the blessing of entering God's rest. But I have to be seated with Him. In order to do that, I have to spend "time" with Him.

I want to be used of God to reach out to those who desperately need Him, but I don't want to just be "doing" spiritual things, I want to "be" spiritual. In order to "be" spiritual I have to "know" Him. Therefore, I need to stop jumping up every few minutes and getting out of rest.

If you are struggling with ANYTHING, take a seat and rest. Your place has been there waiting for you to occupy it all along.

Now, I think I will go sit in my big, brown comfy chair and read to my grand-daughter. The laundry and dishes can wait, unless of course that "maid" comes along and does it all!!