I’ve learned a lot about rest from people in Scripture. Seeing their lives with fresh eyes, I’ve seen things I had not realized: How blessed rest is. How different it looks from what we often think. How much in our lives can keep us from it. Here are 12 “signposts” pointing us to rest, signposts placed on the path by people who came before.
When it comes to dealing with anything spirit, the church has a long history of ignoring, twisting, adding to and taking away from the truth that gives us rest.
When all seemed lost, Moses pressed in: To know the character and ways of God. To live in his Presence, to seek his face, to see and reflect his glory. May your heartcry echo that of Moses. And even when you do not realize it, may you become ever more radiant because you have been with your Lord.
Real rest is so different from what I had thought. It’s so much more expansive, and desirable, and enjoyable. And it’s so very vital. Thing is, I desperately needed real rest long before I knew I needed it. I had no clue how rest-deprived I was.
I praise you, Lord my Shepherd. You have overcome for me all the shame that ever has or ever will attach to me. You are teaching me to overcome it too. By your grace, I drink deeply of your favor, and it restores my rest.
Even though I cannot live out any commitment perfectly, I can set my heart toward it and use my voice to affirm it. And that matters. A lot.
I’ve updated Return to Your Rest, and included a chapter about enemies of rest I have faced. May God give us courage to rise up in the face of all that fights against it - and to return to rest.
Today where you live, religiosity slaughters Sabbath by the very way it tries to keep it. But when people desperate for rest leave the comfort of religious exhaustion and stumble toward God himself, Sabbath remains – and the Lord of Real Rest revives them.
As you inhale, you’re filled with breath. As you inhale spiritually, you’re filled with the Breath of God. Spirit-to-spirit, you receive his life.
The joy of the week-long Feast of Tabernacles spills over into an eighth day. On this day, celebrate the joy of resting in God's promises.