This morning, I opened my Bible study book. Whispers of Hope, and read today’s passage. I have to admit, I’m tired. The past few weeks have been a marathon of motion.
So, when I read the passage in Exodus and God showed me something completely different than what the Bible study author, I knew He had heard my prayer as I sat down. My prayer that went something like, “I want to spend time with You, but I am so tired this morning.”
It’s slightly ironic that Exodus 16 is about God giving manna to the Israelites. Manna has always been kind of fascinating to me- this heavenly food that fed the Israelites for 40 years. I wonder what it tasted like and if it even tasted the same to everyone.
Manna has always been this symbol of God’s provision. I’ve learned many lessons about God daily provision for us; about how God gives us what we need when we need it – not extra for a different day.How we don’t have to worry about how we will get through some horrible tragedy because He will give us what we need in that moment – that His grace is ALWAYS sufficient.
But the verses that stood out to me today – that shone like a beacon through the sea of my weariness – were tucked in toward the end.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? See, the Lord has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:29-30
Every other day, manna fell, the people harvested it for that day only. If they tried to save extra, it turned all nasty and moldy.
On the sixth day, however, God provided for His people to rest by giving them twice the manna.
Did you catch that?
God provided for His people’s rest. He commanded them to take a day of rest. It was non-optional, and He thought it as so important, He made sure they had what they needed so they could rest.
Is that as profound to you as it was to me?
As a culture, this is one thing we are missing – rest. With technology, to be unplugged, you have to make a conscious decision. In this day and age, you can be available 24/7.
But we weren’t made to be available 24/7. We weren’t made to go and go and go. Without rest. Without any pauses. And trying to do it is killing us – physically, emotionally, spiritually.
God provides for OUR rest – not just the rest of His people centuries ago.
I needed to hear that this morning. I needed to know that God Himself provides for MY rest. He gives me what I need to take that rest.
The last couple weeks have been insane. One day last week, I had 31 things on my to do list. 31 things. And I did them all. I ran myself so ragged last week, that this week I have a cold.
Why do we run so fast and so hard? Why do I spend most of my days feeling overwhelmed and like I am never quite productive enough?
Why am I too busy to enjoy life, to focus on friendships and to develop relationships?
Because I am looking to myself, to my own answers and my own wisdom. I’m not seeing the provision God has made for my rest.
“Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble and you will find rest for your souls.” ~ Matthew 11:28, 29
Sometimes, I think we have this idea that to be spiritual we must run ourselves into the ground, chasing after impossible standards, impossible objectives.
In Jesus’ day, the spiritual people strove to follow an impossible set of rules and laws.
Jesus came to bring us grace, to give us a yoke that is light. Yet, while we would probably never dream of trying to follow every Old Testament Law, we still strive to earn salvation, earn more of God’s love by performing and being busy and running hard. All. The. Time. Without pause. Without rest.
While the Christian life isn’t easy and there is certainly hard work involved, it’s not a sprint. If we don’t pace ourselves, we won’t be able to finish the race well – or maybe even at all.
God’s just waiting for us to slow down long enough, to be still for a moment to see His provision for our rest. He was waiting for me to see that I can trust Him enough to rest in Him.
Instead of worrying about all I need to get done tomorrow and next week and next month, I can rest in God’s care today.
“So do not worry about tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
How do you rest in God’s provision? I’d love to hear about it!
Blessings, Rosanne
1 Comment on God Provides for Our Rest
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I love this! Thank you.
God has been talking to me about rest for a while now. It’s actually my one word for the year. I’m a single mom and my tendency is to worry a lot. The Lord lead me to a sentence in a book that talked about delegating things to your subconscious mind. (It was a secular book) He dropped into my spirit “that is how you can cast your care upon Me. I am well able to keep that which you commit to me. When you worry just say oh, sorry. I’ve delegated that to you Lord and I know you are taking care of it.” This has brought me such rest and peace. I’ve seen such extraordinary answers to prayers that came right on time in unexpected, ordinary
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