Resting in the Lord

     Guys, I am so sorry that I have not posted in awhile but this past week i was gone to the Rondo Retreat Center in the Kakamega rainforest at a missionary men's retreat and wireless was not available for the week i was gone.  It was a great time of relaxation and rest but also of just worshiping, praising and learning more about God with some real men of faith.  

     The focus of our retreat was "resting" in the Lord.  And I do not mean the fruitless action of just resting and relaxing and getting away but of the fruit filled action of taking time every day to rest (praying, meditating, reading God's Word) and focusing your future action on the presence and person of Jesus.  In Mark 6:30-31 we read: The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."  Jesus had previously sent out the twelve apostles and they were now coming back to report to Jesus what had happened in their ministry experience.  As they were in this discussion so many people were coming and going that they did not even have time to fully discuss their experience and to even eat.  So Jesus simply recommends . . . come away with me . . . and find rest.

     Now note, right after this passage, as they are leaving in a boat with Jesus, that many people see this happening and meet them on the far shore when they land the boat.  So the feeding of the 5,000 begins shortly after Jesus wanted to get away with his apostles to allow them time to come away with Him and to find rest.  So notice, our rest is not found simply in getting away from people and being by ourselves.  It is found in "going away" with Jesus and "resting" in who He is.  In identifying that He is Lord of our lives, that He has control of our circumstances and we live to walk in faithfulness to the opportunities He has placed in front of us.  The feeding of the 5,000 happened immediately after they "rested" with Jesus . . . almost as if it was a test to remind them who is in control and where the source of their power comes from.  Our energy in the Lord flows from our ability to recognize who our power source is and to "rest" in His ability to help us in any and all circumstances.  We have the ability/power to do anything because Jesus is Lord of our lives.  

     Paul writes: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Eph. 3:16-21).  Remember this week that all that we do flows out of the love of Christ.  You have tremendous power to accomplish things in the Lord's name when you operate from His rest!