I Can Rest. I Am Enough.
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Hebrews 4:1-13 and Psalm 139:14-24 (NIV)
(Charmaine Lim, SGM CLT)
READ:
These were the verses that caught my eye:
“There remains then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.” – Hebrews 4:9-11 (NIV)
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;” – Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
In Germany, Sundays are a “Ruhetag” – literally, a day of rest or quiet. All shops are closed, and people spend time with their families, go on little outings in the park or catch up with friends. Controversially, you’re prohibited by law to perform noisy chores like recycle glass or use your vacuum cleaner. You’ll just have to wait for Monday! They take the Sunday sabbath rest very seriously indeed.
When I did a brief stint there, I came to treasure that quiet Sunday. It made a huge difference, coming from the hustle of city life in Singapore, to be able to simply rest quietly at home. When I moved back home, I swore that this would be a practice I would continue.
Sadly, I’ve fallen back into my old habits, and life has become busy again. Every day, there is always something more to do – people to see, things to do. Because that’s what people around me were doing, and (I felt) expected me to do. This year, I have found myself lamenting to God about how tired I’ve been, lurching from day to day, striving to do everything that came my way.
APPLY:
Reading this passage from Hebrews was a stark reminder of how much I needed my Sabbath rest. When praying about it, I complained to God: “but life is busy, there’s always more to do! How can I rest when everyone around me isn’t? It was easy in Germany because that’s what we all did, but it’s not like that here!”
Then God guided me to the other assigned reading, Psalm 139. I felt His gentle nudge in my soul. He reminded me: “Charmaine, I made you, and I made you wonderfully. I’ve already ordained you all your days. You can always rest. You are always enough for Me.”
DO:
I do need to remind myself that I am enough because of Him. I am absolutely allowed to simply rest at His feet. I am allowed to say no, to cease this endless striving. To live what people might deem a “smaller” or “lazy” life, because I need to listen to what my soul desires: a life of quiet sabbath rest with my Father.
I don’t need to do more, have more, be more. God has always been enough for me, and I, His creation, am enough.
PRAY:
Father, thank You for the abundant blessings of love, friendship, and opportunities that You have given me – You have made my life so wonderful indeed! But Father, I’ve kept my human eyes and ears focussed on all the wonderful stuff of this life on earth, neglecting my soul’s need to rest at Your feet. Thank You for this reminder that I am Your wonderful creation, and that I am allowed to simply be as You have created me. Help me to tune my entire being towards my soul’s desire to draw close to You, to rest in You, and to ignore the tangible distractions of this material world.
Until my entire being gets to be with You in eternal rest, help me, Father, to pursue resting in You on earth as it will be in Heaven. Amen.
