I feel like I've been on a bit of a bullet train, flying along and making stops, and then having to get back on quickly arriving at a new destination. I love the challenge of it all and it has been a clear gift from God--both the series of events, trips, adventures...and the strength to be fully present at each stop. However, I got tired. Really tired.
Friday I had to stop. Do you ever have days like that? I went to bed with a tired headache Thursday night, and woke up with an intensified ache, and a very tired body. I felt weak all over, and I couldn't exactly think. It was hard to concentrate on anything...even whether I was sick or just tired. Finally, I decided to take a day and stay home. Even then I was thinking...if I take a sick day I can clean my office and get caught up on some things...maybe I could even mow the grass and walk the dogs and...and...and.... It's kind of amazing isn't it? The gas pedal was stuck on speeding. I needed to stop. No, really stop!
So Friday was a very quiet day. A forced being still day. Even so, the chatter in my brain was...hm not being very productive. Weak. Why couldn't I push through? Shoulda...coulda....
I'm sure we've all had days like this...maybe some of us have even had weeks like this!
"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Jesus said. "All of you, take up my yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.
I'm stuck on..."All of you...." He wasn't just talking to the weak ones who needed a day off, He was talking to everyone. All of us. Take up His yoke. Learn from Him. He is gentle and humble. He wants to give us rest.
Today Pastor Bill was talking about how we have to step out in order to receive. So, if I want to walk on water, I have to get out of the boat. If I want to really rest, I have to come to Jesus. I have to learn from Him. I have to take up HIS yoke. I'll be thinking about that for awhile. What does His yoke look like anyway? Pondering.
I thought I'd share my Friday through today process with you here. I'm so thankful for the Lord Jesus and how He loves us, how he calls us to Himself. He isn't a religion or a job to be done or a taskmaster...He is a living, loving Lord. Yoked to anyone could feel quite stuck and oppressive even. Somehow His yoke is light. Maybe it is about letting Him pull the weight of the load. Maybe His yoke can even slow us down now and then, to walk in step with Him rather than running into exhaustion.
My prayer for you is that you will lean into Him and find rest for your soul. Today. We don't work like all craziness up until the Rest and Renewal retreat and then collapse together! We need to rest today. And to shoulder His yoke tomorrow. And stop and rest when we get tired...really take a Sabbath. Then back to work...then rest...the rhythm of Life. And yes THEN at the start of next month let's get together for a whole weekend of Rest and experiencing more with Him. I'm talking to you, but I'm also talking to me!