| Needed
Rest by Pat Nordman
| "Come
to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew
11:28 |
|
Years ago I read the
following story in a very old book: There was a poor acrobat who turned monk but who was
so ignorant and unlearned that he could not even say his "Paternoster" or
"Credo" properly. Greatly disheartened at his failure, he used to go before a
picture of Christ hanging on the cross and perform his old acrobatic feats, until he sank
to the ground, exhausted. And while he lay there, it is said, Christ Himself came down
from the cross and wiped the perspiration from his brow. This beautiful act surely
expresses the very heart of the divine understanding and sympathy. God does not expect
from us what we cannot render, but even the seeming unspiritual things, the common duties
of life, if done in His spirit, are beautiful to Him. For if He accepts the cup of cold
water given to others, He will not refuse the smallest thing offered in love to Himself.
He will come down to receive it with His divine grace, and in accepting it will bless the
giver.
This is such a magnificent message to us who wonder if we have put in enough time or money
or strength. I wonder if we exhibit a lack of trust when we feel we haven't done enough
for God. Perhaps we need to get back to meditating on what God has done for us and not
worry about whether we have filled today's cup; just be enormously grateful for our own
full cup of blessings from God who knows our dust and simply do what we can this day,
believing wholeheartedly that our dear Father supplies our many lacks. God realizes more
than we do how much emotional and spiritual and physical strength we have or don't have,
and we can trust Him to accept what we can do -- and what we can't do, which is perhaps
even more important. When we feel like collapsing, we can hear Jesus saying to us,
"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" Mark 6:31,32
NKJ. Jesus said this to His friends, His beloved disciples, after a heavy-duty day,
"for there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat."
How many wives and mothers fit in that category! We had five sons and I well remember
missing meals and running to and fro, and also wishing I could even find a deserted place
to rest a bit. The kids always found me, even when I hid in the closet, taking literally
that grand verse in Matthew 6:6 to enter into your closet, only I had the ulterior motive
of saving my sanity, which is now questionable--just ask the boys!
J.K. Mackenzie advised years ago, "Don't be unwise enough to think that we are
serving God best by constant activity at the cost of headaches and broken rest. I am
getting to be of the opinion that we may be doing too much." God doesn't expect us to
kill ourselves doing so much. Indeed, He bids us to "Come to Me, all you who labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28. If ever there is a
verse for our killing days, it is this precious promise. Now if we could just find the
time and quiet to read it over and over!
Pat Nordman
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