“The Priceless Benefit of God’s Rest”

By Rhonda G. Brown, Regional Women’s Ministries President, Rocky Mountain Region

Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

For some reason, when I read this scripture, I always imagine God singing over me while I sleep.  The image of a Father leaning over the bedside of a sleeping child lingers in my mind and brings such comfort.  Truly, it amazes me to think that God would sing over me.  What a picture to see my God humming over me as I slip off to sleep each night.  Indeed, my God is with me.  As I wrestle with the day’s thoughts and cannot get to sleep, He is seeking to bring His quiet love to my soul.  As I begin to breathe deeply, it is God who watches over me and observes my chest as it rises and falls.  It is my precious Father who assesses my pulse and is cognizant of my heart rate.  He monitors my vitals and recalculates the number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30).

Sleep is precious and rest is priceless.  Often, if you are like me, a busy schedule and a full calendar can make for restless nights and weary days.  It reminds me of a story I heard of a woman who was doing laundry.

Illustration:

One afternoon, a woman was in the backyard hanging the laundry when an old, tired-looking dog wandered into the yard.  She could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home.  But when she walked into the house, the dog followed her, sauntered down the hall and fell asleep in a corner.  An hour later, he went to the door, and the woman let him out.  The next day the dog was back.  He resumed his position in the hallway and slept for an hour.

This continued for several weeks.  Curious, the woman pinned a note to his collar:  “Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.”

The next day he arrived with a different note pinned to his collar:  “He lives in a home with 10 children—he’s trying to catch up on his sleep.”

Some of you know about lost sleep caused by having children.  Many of you know about being tired from a demanding job, too much housework and too little time, or being a caregiver for an aging parent.  You know what it is like to be in need of refreshing.

How can we WAKE UP to the truth that God desires to reveal His presence in a fresh way?  How can we experience the light of WHO HE IS?

To illustrate the Bible study points, I would like to use the picture illustration of a neatly made bed.  See this bed with a plump, white pillow as it is neatly tucked with crisp clean white sheets and a simple comforter.  

There are benefits in serving the Lord!  Psalm 103:1-5 tells us to “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

What are some of the benefits that come from serving the Lord?

1.  First, God gives REST.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

As we look at the pillow on the bed we have illustrated above, the pillow represents the rest God wants to bring to you in your body, your mind, and your spirit.  If you have been at war in your mind—be at rest.  If you have battled anxiety and depression, God wants to give you rest.  Fall back into His arms and let Him embrace you in His care.

In Exodus 33, God asks Moses to make preparation to lead the Israelites to the land He had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Furthermore, God promises Moses in verse 14 that “[His] presence will go with [him], and [He] will give [him] rest.”  God gives Moses the reassurance that He is with him and he does not have to be perplexed.  Why?  Because in Exodus 33:17 there are two things God sees in Moses’ life.

1. God is pleased with Moses.


2. God knows Moses by name.  Why?  Because Moses has established a relationship with God through prayer in the “tent of meeting” (v. 7).

2.  Secondly, God gives GRACE.

John 1:16 says, “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.”

Moreover, looking at the well-dressed bed, God’s grace is represented by the sheet.  Truly, God is our covering in that He covers our weaknesses.  His grace is our favor and the very basis for our salvation.  He says, “The circumstances you are going through are but drops in the sea of My capabilities.  I am a mountain of strength in your day of trouble, in the midst of your sea.”

3.  Thirdly, God has MERCY.

Lamentations 3:22-24 tells us, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’”

The Bible tells us that God's mercy is new every day.  Everyday when I wake up I am covered again in His mercy.  New mistakes—new mercy.  In God’s court, I am considered “not guilty!”

4.  Fourthly, God has FORGIVENESS.

Matthew 26:28 says, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

A rock does not belong on this bed where we see “Grace,” “Mercy,” and “Rest.”  It would upset the balance and rest would not be achieved.  However, there are those who struggle with the past.  Past sins haunt you and you take them to bed with you each night and you are robbed of the perfect REST that God desires for you.

The good news is that God wants us to be totally free and He has taken our sin, our baggage, for us and in compassion He has conquered it that we might have perfect peace.

Micah 7:19 says, “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and He wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

Prayer:

Father, I thank You that I can find my rest in You.  Your word tells me that You are with me and You are “mighty to save.”  I can be glad and know that You take great delight in me.  I can celebrate and take joy in the truth that You sing over me.  When I lose sight of Your ever-abiding presence, let me realize that You are ever present to quiet me with Your love.

Thank You for Your grace.  I praise You once again for Your salvation and Your favor that shines upon me.  Thank You for Your mercy.  Truly, You have never failed to believe in me.  Thank You for Your forgiveness.  I am overwhelmed at Your ability to keep on extending Your open arms of love to me.  I can rest in You today for You have given me so much to thank You for.  Thank You!

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