In Repentance and Rest…
Rest is a fascinating thing.
It seems like something that we should love, and something that a lot of us do love. Yet, it also feels like something that a lot of people struggle with. Especially people who follow Jesus.
This seems particularly ridiculous, because Jesus, and the Bible in general, actually talk a lot about rest. Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him and find rest for their souls (Matthew 11:28). He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), and there is still a Sabbath rest that all who believe are invited into (Hebrews 4:9). “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:1).
God is the one who makes us lie down in green pastures. He is the one who leads us beside quiet waters. He is the one who refreshes our souls (Psalm 23:2–3). There is no rest outside of Him.
This is where I think we may get it wrong. We try to find ways to rest in addition to or outside of Him. We place our hope for rest in sleep, exercise, Netflix, reading, spending time with friends, etc. Not that any of these things are inherently wrong or not restful. But if we pursue our rest through these things outside of the leadership of Jesus, I believe we will be left unsatisfied. Without the filling touch of Jesus, we can do all of these things and feel just as soul-weary as we do after a full day of work and ministry. If we’re not listening for His voice, if we’re not seeking His presence and His love, then all of those other things will come up short.
So much of life can feel soul-wearying. The apathy, disinterest, or outright rejection shown to Jesus by friends, family, and co-workers. The relentless racism and injustice going unchecked in our country right now. The poverty that dominates the world, and the affluence that blinds so many of us to it’s hold. The constant oppression and hatred directed to the world’s margins, the least of these, who Jesus equated Himself with.
Those facing this evil and darkness need more than fleeting, temporary rest. We need to be reminded to place our hope in Jesus, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, as we sit with Him in silence.
In silence, we’re reminded that all of our planning and plotting and problem-solving in our own strength is worth absolutely nothing.
In silence, we’re reminded that our questions aren’t central, Jesus is.
In silence, we’re reminded that He is Lord and there is no one like Him. Everything else falls away.
Jesus promises us that He is the bread of life, and whoever comes to Him will never be hungry, and that He is the light of the world, and whoever comes to Him will never walk in darkness (John 6:35, 8:12). Every time we try to bake our own bread or light our own fires, we reject the promises of Jesus to reach for something we think is better. But there is no sustenance, no light, no rest, outside of Jesus. He is Lord of the Sabbath, and Lord of our lives.
