Hey Everybody,
Pastor Doug taught the second installment of our series "Made for This" by looking at rest. It was such a great message, and I'm sure that you felt as challenged by it as I did on Sunday. If you missed it, take the time to listen to it here. You will be so glad that you did.
As is often the case in my own walk with Jesus, just hearing a thought-provoking message isn't enough to move me closer to Jesus. Hearing it is good, and learning something new is often the start of a spiritual growth spurt. Still, it seems God will usually teach me something new in a message, a book I'm reading, or a podcast I'm listening to. THEN, He will walk me through a season where I have to work that truth into the core of my being. I will have to wrestle with it in real-time.
The Big Idea from this last week's message was that "Rest is a reminder that Jesus is enough."
If I believe that Jesus is enough, I won't toil, spin, worry, and be anxious. I won't get ahead of myself; I will simply trust that Jesus is enough for today. When tomorrow comes, He will meet me there, and He will be enough for me tomorrow, too. I can't rest if I'm in a hurry, but I also can't experience rest when I worry and am anxious.
So…that was Sunday. I began to wrestle with the sufficiency of Jesus to overcome my hurry-sickness that Doug talked about on Sunday.
Monday morning came, and the testing was about to begin. I did my First Fifteen at home. I read through my verses in the "Year with Jesus" reading plan, which took me through Matthew 5 and 6. These verses begin what is known as "The Sermon on the Mount." Another part of my morning routine is that I take about 10 minutes to listen to a devotional by author/pastor John Ortberg when I first get to the office. Coincidentally, he has led devotionals through The Sermon on the Mount for the past several weeks. On Monday, he taught through the end of chapter 6, where Jesus says:
"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34
I can't rest today if I'm worrying about tomorrow. I thought to myself, "Self. This is so good! God is so good. He is teaching me about rest on Sunday, and then on Monday, He gently reminds me that He is enough for me! I don't have to worry about tomorrow."
Then my phone rang. Bonnie was on the other end of the call, and she was upset. She said she had fallen at work and needed me to take her to the Emergency Room. Immediately, my mind raced ahead to all that was happening, and I began worrying. Will she be okay? How badly is she hurt? How much is this going to cost? How much work is she going to have to miss? Will I be able to keep her alive if she is too hurt to cook? See? It only took a moment, and my mind went racing ahead. As my mind was racing, I was NOT experiencing rest, and I was not living as if Jesus was enough!
John Ortberg included a prayer in the devotional that I have prayed for the last couple of days to help me to stay in today, to stay in this moment with Jesus, because that's what He wants for me. That's where HE is, and where He is, rest is available. I hope the prayer will be helpful for you in your efforts to grow closer to Jesus and apply the messages from Sunday, too. Here it is:
Just for today, I will try to live through this day only and not tackle my whole life's problems at once. I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.
Just for today, I will remember, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in this day," even if I have to do it somehow.
Just for today, I will try to adjust myself to what is and not try to adjust everyone in every everything to my own desires. I will take my relationships, my work, my problems as they come and fit myself to them.
Just for today, I will be grateful for my body. This body, I will breathe deeply, stand tall, eat slow, exercise, and offer my body—all of its parts—a living sacrifice to God.
Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought, and concentration. Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways. I will do somebody else a good turn. And I will do at least two things that I do not want to do today just for the exercise.
Just for today, I will secretly bless each person I see.
Just for today, I will have a program. I will write down what I expect to do. I may not follow it all exactly, but I will have it. I will eliminate the pest of indecision.
Just for today, I will have a quiet time all by myself and relax. In this time, sometimes, I will thank God so as to get a better perspective on my life.
Just for a day, I will ruthlessly eliminate hurry from my life.
Just for today, tonight, when I hit the pillow, my last thought will not be regret over all I did not do today or fear over all that might happen tomorrow, but gratitude for what was and hope in God for what will be.
Just for today, when anxious, agitated, or confused, I will pray you will be done.
One day at a time. Just for today.
By the way, Bonnie will be okay. She suffered a concussion at work and will be out for a few days. She has to rest, reduce screen time, and avoid bright lights until she recovers. It will take some time, but she will be okay. While the doctor has ordered her to rest, she is learning that resting the body and experiencing the rest that Doug talked about on Sunday are two very different things. So, we are all learning together. Know that I'm praying for you today, too. Praying that you will not race into tomorrow but will practice experiencing the presence of Jesus right where you are, and in doing so, you will experience His rest. He is enough.
I look forward to gathering with you on Sunday as we continue our series "Made for This."
Blessings,
Pastor Jamey
PS If you want to watch the whole teaching by John Ortberg that I referred to, you can watch it here.
