Monday, February 25, 2013

Week 8 - Chapter 9 - Turn the Beat Around

"On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work.  And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation."  Genesis 2:2-3

It happened again!  Our chapter 9 echoes what I heard in the sermon this Sunday at church!  Sometimes God works in mysterious ways.  Sometimes he just comes right out and says it!  And that's not all... the Proverbs 31 Daily Devotional last Thursday (Feb 22) was about 'waiting' and when I put my family's schedule on The Board this week, it was unusually sparse.  Some would call this coincidence - I call it God-incidence.  He has reminded me, through reading & listening, of the importance of resting in Him, of waiting on Him, and has given me the time and space to do it.  No excuses - just grace.   He is an Amazing God!

I am one of those people who NEED quiet time and plenty of sleep.  It's just the way I'm wired.  I may not accomplish as much in a day as some other women I know, but I have learned (through much trial and many errors) not to work when I'm tired.  It just creates more work!  So why do I need this reminder about rest & waiting?   I'm still working on that, but maybe in part because there are so many people around me who need the reminder, too.  Perhaps I need to encourage them to rest rather than push them to do more.  Maybe I need to create time & space for them to have their rest, rather than expecting more from them.

How will you use this reminder of rest & waiting in your life?  Share it with our community in the Comment section, so we can be encouraged & inspired.  Remember, if you are reading this in your e-mail, you need to go to the web page (by clicking on the title) to leave a comment.  I am excited to read how you will incorporate rest & waiting into your life!  If you're not sure how to rest or wait, ask a question or share your struggle.  We are all here to pray and encourage each other!

If you haven't started reading chapter 9 yet, grab your book, your favorite beverage, a pen, and your journal and claim some quiet time for yourself.  Before, during and after reading allow your heart and mind to absorb the lesson, let God's words in the scripture passages sink into you, and trust that God will do all He says and keep His promises to you. 

It is in the quiet times that we are able to hear God, but we must also remember to wait for Him to speak.  God doesn't vie for our attention, He waits for us to show Him that we are ready to listen to Him, without distraction; that we are waiting on Him to speak.

There are only 3 questions at the end of the chapter!  But let me add a 4th: what other scripture speaks about God and Jesus taking a rest or waiting?  I've put one of my favorites at the beginning of this post.  It makes me wonder, if God took a rest, why do I think I can go without it?

May you have time to rest and refresh throughout your week. 

Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly

"Then Jesus said, "Com to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."   Matt 11:28

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