As the holidays are quickly approaching, we can find our to-do list getting filled up rather quickly, our anxiety level can begin to increase, and rest seems nowhere in sight.
On one hand, it may seem crazy to even think about rest at such a time, but more importantly, it may be just the time to see rest for the gift it is and embrace the value of it like God does.
Several years ago, I was in a worship service that was focused on Heaven. I saw an image come into my mind. As I looked, I realized it was more than just a picture, it was like a little 20 second movie playing, and then it was gone.
But what I saw has been so incredibly comforting to me and helped me understand a deeper meaning of rest.
Photo by Łukasz Czechowicz on Unsplash
In my little vision, it looked to be early on a summer evening out in the countryside. (I’ve never been to Tuscany, Italy, but it seemed like that must be what it looked like!)
There was an extremely long table placed in an open field and there were numerous people sitting on both sides of the table at what looked to be a feast.
The table was loaded with food and the serving staff kept bringing more platters to the table. There was so much laughter and talking and such an atmosphere of joy.
I could hear violin music playing in the background and somehow I just knew this must be what the final wedding feast must be like.
(As I was looking to find violin music to share here, I found this incredibly beautiful piece! And the title says it all – Now We are Free!)
Going back to my “vision”, even though this image in my mind only lasted about 20 seconds or so, I suddenly felt what these people were feeling.
It was all over. They had finished the race. The fight and struggle was gone. The enemy had finally been defeated. They could rest.
The joy came from knowing they could finally rest! Safety was there. No more struggles, no more opposition, no more enemy.
They had made it home.
Isn’t this just a beautiful picture of our ultimate rest in Heaven one day? I wish you could feel what I felt in those 20 seconds. It makes me long for Heaven all the more.
(If you want to learn more about how to experience a “vision” like this, you can read more here.)
But is the ultimate rest we will experience in Heaven the only rest we can hope to find? With The Gift of Rest Series, I want to help you see that we can and we need to find rest here and now to be all we were created to be.
Lately I’ve been feeling more stress than usual, and I don’t like that I succumb to the worry and anxiety that comes with it. God has been ever so gentle to remind me that I need His rest. I thought you might need that reminder, too.
Here’s what you can expect in this series of The Gift of Rest:
- I’m going to share an awesome podcast with you about the need for a real Sabbath physical rest. This teaching is unlike any I’ve ever heard on rest and it will give you much to ponder.
- I’ll share with you about Jesus’ invitation to rest in Matthew 11 and what that means for each of us.
- And we’ll talk about a deeper rest that’s actually connected with our beliefs. You don’t want to miss this!
You are busy, I know. And I know you probably long for more physical rest than you are finding time for right now.
But my guess is that you are longing even more for a rest in your spirit. A rest from the struggle that goes on inside that keeps you in knots over circumstances or people or that keeps you at war with yourself because of your performance.
Dear one, this season, I am praying that you can find rest for your body and rest for your soul and rest for your spirit. You need it and God wants you to have it.
Yes, one day we’ll all be around that wedding table and have the ultimate rest that Jesus won for us, but for now, let’s pursue the rest that’s possible for us even here. Even now.
Learning how to rest with you,
Trish
In the comments below, please share with us one way you’ve found to help you rest. We can learn from each other! Thanks!
Leave a Reply