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Are you feeling tired, burned out, steamrolled, and just plain out of gas? Are your shoes worn out, and the hamster wheel you are treading upon is going faster and faster, and you can’t seem to find a way off? I know from life experience that we all feel this way occasionally and that our busy lives have a way of ramping up our exhaustion levels to the point of, well, utter exhaustion!
Where do you go to seek shelter to recharge your internal batteries? Time to time, we all need to divert ourselves off of the busy highway of life to a place that brings refuge and rest. My wife and I enjoy stopping for coffee and simply going for a drive around town. The mountains close to our home are always a place calm and peace for us, or something as uncomplicated as watching a movie at home with a bowl of popcorn shared between us. Whatever it is that brings you and me rest, we tend to covet those things the most.
The Bible app on my phone today was timely and perhaps even God-ordained for me, and possibly even you, hence this devotional. This verse reminded me that even though my life might occasionally feel like a locomotive going downhill with no brakes, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I have a place of never-ending shelter, rest, and refuge. Our Saviour can wholeheartedly be trusted, even when the events in our lives bring us to the point of heavy eyelids and fatigue.
"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadows of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalms 91:1,2 NIV)
When our days are filled with craziness, it can be easy to forget about coming to the Lord and resting in Him. Sometimes I think the devil sticks his nose in and purposely makes our lives too busy for God and too overwhelmed with worry and stress. He wants us tired to the point where spending time with Jesus is minimal at best, and we might begin to question God’s love for us when the ground beneath our feet is shaking and we can’t slow down.
The other day I highlighted another Bible verse from my phone. I wasn’t sure how it fit into things at the time, but now I believe it ties into the theme of this devotional and proves to me that my God, and yours, is unchanging in His love for us no matter the daily turmoil we may find ourselves in. Jesus is always full of love and compassion when we come to Him for sanctuary, rest, and spiritual renewal.
"'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be moved, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.” says the Lord, who has compassion for you." (Isaiah 54:10 NIV)
I’ve read that Rest is Trust, Rest equals Peace, and for me, Rest is Jesus. We live in a world that likes to keep us far from rest, and I believe that if you are a child of the King, then it’s vital that we seek out God’s grace, love, and refuge—allowing Him to carry our burdens so that rest becomes our normal routine, instead of a sought-after rarity.
Paul Smyth
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