Lesson #5

Lesson #5 Rest is important

Eyes pop open and I realize I slept through the entire night! Not once did I turn over and begin to wonder, "Is she was okay?" I never looked at my phone to see if there were multiple phone calls from her begging me to bring her home. I just slept peacefully, blissfully drooling and dreaming. Delighted  in rest.

Sleep is nothing new. We all do it, but sometimes it's interrupted by noises, phone calls, children crying, thunder and sometimes, it's just our minds that will not rest.

Over the last month my sleep has been interrupted by thoughts of my mom and by phone calls from her in the middle the night.

My mother's once routine lifestyle had been interrupted by a hospital stay and an even longer rehab hospital where nurses came in and things weren't familiar. Let's just say that her anxiety level went through the roof!

When her sleep became interrupted, my sleep became interrupted. Much like an infant whose schedule has not been solidified, my mother's sleep schedule had been changed.

Blissfully this morning, after having my mom return to her home I slept! I slept good and hard and awoke this morning with a delighted sense of rest.

It's what I've been praying, craving, and hoping for.  In the scheme of things it may not seem like that big of a deal, but when my rest becomes a jumbled mess, it's more like a nightmare. I don't respond in kindness ,my brain has less ability to think clearly and throughout the day all I can think about is taking a nap. It reminds me of when my children were small and I lived in that world of little rest.

A few days ago a good friend reminded me of what the Lord wants to do for me. The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.

This verse has been enfolding me in the arms of Jesus reminding me of his deep love.

What exactly does it mean, that He will fight for me? 

The Lord fights for us in many ways. One of my favorite verses says He is a victorious warrior.

He with us in the Fight and will be Victorious

The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. 

Zephaniah 3:17

The Battle is His

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you. 

2 Chronicles 20:17

God Hears us and Delivers us

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles. Psalm 34:17

I've spoken much about this image of the Lord going before us and being our rear guard, but honestly it's how I live my life now. Trusting that He has gone before, that he has checked out the land and He knows what's there. It's living in the belief the If He is real then He has prepared a way and that He is following behind me to clean up my messes, to protect me from behind.

But then there's the question of how do I be still? It's not one of my best attributes to be honest. I know how to stop. I know how to ask Jesus to meet with me and for the Holy Spirit to remind me, but I'm not so good at doing it over and over. These verses encourage me to be still to cause anxious thoughts to be held captive before the Lord.  It is then that He speaks softly to me and gives me rest.

I'm praying that this is a new season of rest.

Where do you find rest where do you need the Lord to fight for you?