A Devotional Mosaic: Rest Is a Verb

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

I wrote the bulk of this post quite a while ago. Yesterday I had several times where I almost decided to post it rather than to press through and write transparently about my own struggles. These were some good thoughts from a while ago and after finally posting yesterday I decided to set this one to post for today. I'm not sure why I did not post them at the time I wrote it. Some times I encounter a bit of self doubt and set things aside for a time. It seems to fit well with my thoughts this week.

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.

Here’s a paradox - it crossed my mind that resting and waiting are verbs - they are action words in which one purposely stops to rest or to wait. In that stopping or waiting one does not stop believing or stop trusting one does stop doing and striving. To stop to rest does not mean to give up or to quit. To rest or wait when it appears nothing is happening, nothing is changing, requires faith, belief, trust, patience and courage. To even be able to rest, wait and be at peace requires that I really believe that God will be active when I am not. That His plan does not require my hands to accomplish, or my manipulations, to my plans and my timelines. It makes the question before us all - do we really believe He will do what he says. Do I believe it enough to wait and to rest?

(This was a year ago - resting seems to be a reoccurring deal with me and God - I can be kind of thick headed and stubborn at times.) I know that God is heading me into a season of rest. I have been through quite a whirl wind of faith testing trials. Through it all I have learned a deeper sense of abiding in Christ. So the invitation to come to him has become easy to accept. Without having come to him daily you would have found me curled up in a ball of dispair at times. He has been with me through every trial. I can tell you that I did not walk through them perfectly. There were plenty of days that He had to carry me and help remind me of his continuing faithfulnes. I have grown from each trial and I have learned more and more how to better go through them. Anyway I believe I am entering into a season of rest. I seem to rest best when I am writing or creating art or music. I look at resting not as a time to be a mindless couch potato in a adjustable hospital bed watching endless hours of what ever is on the idiot box. That is existing, the body may be resting but the mind is being numbed. I don’t think God’s rest implys the need for mind numbing. His rest is about coming to him, spending time in his presence. We all have our ways that we best connect with the Lord. For me that often starts in a quiet time of prayer and reflection on His word and it spill out into some creative form of expression.

I think there are seasons where we need to step back from the constant business of life and use that time to spend in His presence. He will help you sort things out. I think one can also develop a life style of continually coming to the Lord in the midst of a busy life. In those times we need to practice His presence and include him in all the things we are doing. As I’m driving in the car I'm talking to him, in the bathroom have have a devotional to read, while I am waiting at work or doing some mundane task my thoughts run to him in thankfulness or sharing with him things that concern me or that I am struggling with.

Things to Ponder:
How do you connect with the Lord? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer:
Dear Lord, Help me to come to you not just when I’m weary and burdened but everyday. I thank you that when I am weary and burdened that you do promise to give me rest when I do come to you. Help me to come not just when I am desperate but in the course of every day.

A few items that feature todays image
of my painting called Yield to God.