Our brother friend (like a sister friend, only he’s our brother) Steve (who is also our pastor) has such a beautiful saying when times are hard. He says, “I’m resting in Jesus.” Not long ago, Steve had to deliver a memorial service … for a newborn. We were crushed alongside them with this devastating news, and Terry and I ached for their loss. We knew no one better than Steve to bring the hope of Jesus during this unbelievably difficult time, but how heartbreaking to have to deliver a memorial service for a newborn. Terry texted Steve the day of the service and told him we were praying for him. Steve responded with gratitude, but said how he was trusting in and resting in Jesus.
Today’s verse reminds me how we need to rest in God.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,” - Psalm 23:2 (NIV)
I am not good at resting. I need to be busy to be happy and productive. This means when I get sick, I’m not very good at being sick. I don’t like to be still. As I have grown older, however, I learn the imperative need to rest.
As Steve taught us, “I am resting in Jesus.” I am reminded of how a shepherd would make his flock lie down in green pastures and lead them beside quiet waters.
Anytime I have been by the ocean, I feel such a closeness to God. Even when I was a little girl, something about the ocean was not just my happy place, but it was my peaceful place. Waters are peaceful and refreshing. Think about how calming it can be to sit and listen to the ocean waves. When I lived in Tennessee, I loved to visit the creeks in the Smoky Mountains with my parents, and there was a little place in Leiper’s Fork by a babbling brook where I loved to sit and write. Or sometimes I would just sit there and cry. Or I would sit there and pray. Alone in the great outdoors by the water, but never alone, because my Shepherd King was always with me.
God tells us over and over we need to rest. We have an entire day of rest. The Sabbath was intended for us to rest. We have to allow ourselves an opportunity for refreshment. There is a beautiful saying, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” If we do not allow ourselves to rest, we cannot adequately love those around us, well. So we have nothing in our cup to share with them.
During this time of crisis and the great unknown regarding COVID19, I am stealing the phrase from Pastor Steve Lawes, and “I am resting in Jesus.”
“Green pastures,” my bible tells me, “is a metaphor for all that makes life to flourish.”
Friends, we need to be home right now, saving lives. We are saving lives if we are doing what experts tell us to do; stay home and stop the spread. We will then not be carriers, and share COVID19 with others.
We need to rest during this time. I’m not saying take a bunch of naps. Although if you find yourself with extra time and your work from home is complete and you need to take a nap, take a nap. By all means. But most importantly, we need to rest in Jesus. We need to rest so we can be a metaphor for all that makes life to flourish.
When our hearts, our minds and our souls are at rest, the words flowing out of our mouths will be filled with hope and peace.
Peaceful like quiet waters. We will be refreshing to those who are around us, and we will remind them of our Shepherd King. As we do all of this, we are resting in Jesus.