Without Excuse Ministries
  • Home
    • About WEM
    • Our Beliefs
    • Board of Directors
  • Video Ministry
  • Podcast
  • Devotionals
  • Prostaff
  • Hunts
  • Photo Gallery
  • Pro Staff Kitchen
  • Contact
    • Prayer Request
  • Booking Paul
    • In Their Words

Rest We Can Only Find In Christ!

7/14/2011

0 Comments

 
Good Morning,
 
Within Spring Mill State Park, I have a favorite spot.  There is a stream coming out of a cave and running down the hillside.  It is in heavy tree cover.  When no one is around except the Lord, and I'm there on the bank of that little creek, it seems no different than being deep in the Smokey Mountains.  It's for sure a place of quite rest.  In the middle of this work week, and in the business of family life, do you need rest.
 
In 24 hours the average adult accomplishes much: his heart beats 103,689 times, his blood travels 168 million miles, he breathes 23,040 times, he inhales 438 cubic feet of air, he eats 3 1/2 pounds of food and drinks 2.9 quarts of liquid, he speaks 4,800 words, he moves 750 muscles, his nails grow .000046 inch, and he exercises 7 million brain cells. It's no wonder we need rest!

When God established the laws governing the lives of the Israelite people, He built into their schedule a time for rest. Physically it enabled their bodies to recuperate. Then he said to them, "This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.'"  Spiritually it reminded them that their salvation was not complete. They needed a spiritual "rest" that would come only when the Messiah would take away their sins. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that even though the Jewish people practiced Sabbath-keeping, the real "rest" was a future event. He declared, "For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:8-9).


In the New Testament the command to "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" is the only one of the Ten Commandments not repeated, and I have heard much discussion about why and why not.  The bottom line is that I know that I need physical rest and spiritual rest, as the Israelite people did, and that God wants to give me that rest.  The spiritual rest that the Old Testament saints looked forward to and which the Sabbath represented is now a reality. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28).
 
If we are to have real rest, it must come for Jesus.  When we are fully trusting in Him, and only Him, we are not ringing our hands in stress, or laboring for salvation.  When tired from a labor of love for God's Kingdom, He will, from time to time, calls us aside to rest in Him.  Let me encourage you to find a little place of retreat, where you can only hear a small creek running down a hillside, and the still small voice of your Lord.
 
God bless you today, and remember that you are loved!!!

Henry
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Henry Deaton

    Henry D. is from Southern Indiana and writes these wonderful daily devotionals to encourage those at the Dogwood Community Church located in Paoli, Indiana.  Henry has graciously agreed to share these wonderful devotionals here at Without Excuse Ministries to encourage you our valued guest!

    Archives

    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
    • About WEM
    • Our Beliefs
    • Board of Directors
  • Video Ministry
  • Podcast
  • Devotionals
  • Prostaff
  • Hunts
  • Photo Gallery
  • Pro Staff Kitchen
  • Contact
    • Prayer Request
  • Booking Paul
    • In Their Words