Resting part 4
When we start to understand that God--love--not only GIVES us rest, but IS our rest, we can begin to operate from that place of rest. That place of being loved by God and loving each other with that same love. But here, I think, is the problem: We are so busy trying to finish the work, to earn rest, that we miss out on the truth that Jesus already finished the work. Over two thousand years ago on an old rugged cross. When He gave His life both for us and to us. When we see the cross, when we see that the work is finished, we can stop trying to finish it. We can stop trying to earn something that can't be earned. Something that has already been given to us. The gift of God. Which is His life. His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of Love! Look at Psalm 116:7, which I think says what I'm trying to say better than I can, "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee." When we have been dealt with bountifully, we CAN returne to rest, because we don't need to keep trying to get something. But it all flows from down from the Father of lights. Jesus worked so we can rest. And, as a preacher once said, "When you work God will rest. But when you rest, God will work." God is gentleman. He'll let you try to do it yourself, if that's what you're about. But there's a more excellent Way. And His name is Jesus. His name is love. We don't have to do it ourselves. We can let love guide our way. We don't have to work our fingers to the bone, and only end up with bony fingers. We don't have to bang our heads against the wall and only end up with a headache. We can let it go and let it flow. We can live out of our abundance, when we know what we have. What we've been given. We can give what we've got, but only when we know what we've got. And, in giving what we've got, we can experience (and enjoy) what we've got. It's not about working really hard and then finally being able to rest. Jesus already did the work. It's about being able to rest WHILE you're doing the things that you need to do. Because, as always, rest is not inactivity. Rest is Holy Spirit directed activity. Living a life of love by letting God love you and loving Him back by loving people. Receiving and releasing the gift you've been given. Letting what's inside come out by knowing and believing that it's in there. Not forcing things, but letting things flow from your innermost being. Letting the grace, and mercy, and peace, and forgiviness, and... love... of God flow through you. Knowing that He HAS dealt bountifully with us. He HAS given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. He HAS blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in the heavenly Christ. We have everything we need. And we DIDN'T have to work for it. It was a gift. All we have to do is receive it and release it. Receive it BY releasing it. Release it by receiving it. God gave us rest because He loves us. He doesn't want us running around like chickens with our heads cut off. And the rest that He gave us... is love. When we rest (in love) we can enjoy what we have (by giving it away, by sharing it)!