Rest for the Weary

~ Rest for the Weary ~

This Post I am writing today is my follow up to "Binding Up the Wounds" Post that I wrote recently ..If you haven't read it ...and have the time Read it first .

In the last post I wrote about Healing ..that post was Inspired By God ...the evening after I wrote that post I gathered myself into bed and pulled out my Bible and concordance and asked God what the next step in healing is ?

My Answer came quickly as I immediately had "Rest" as the answer.

( I took this pictures recently on our Vacation to Cambria and one evening while I was "RESTING" in the adirondack chair overlooking the ocean the clouds moved into a beautiful picture that I couldn't miss out on. This clouds Parted into this most beautiful opening that the Sun shone through and glowed upon the ocean with such Beauty. I wished at that moment that my Lord would reach a hand out through those clouds that I could grasp ..And then I realized that his Glory was all around me and his handiwork was showing in this unbelievable Picture of Beauty)

I don't know about you but "REST" is a bad word in my vocabulary ...or at least it was. I come from a long line of very hardworking family of physical laborers. I grew up seeing that falling into a chair, "Dog Tired" if you will, was a positive thing. I remember more than once hearing the addage "Idle hands are the devils workshop." This wasn't a saying used as a scare tactic in our home just a spoken fact that lazing around and doing nothing for too long could lead to undesireable behaviour. And that is true.

My Last name is Vanderwork. It is of Dutch origin and means " To-Work." I cannot even begin to tell you how appropriately that name fits our family, (man or woman).

Lay aside the last name and I'm sure there are many of you that can realte to a family of hardworkers' and I'm sure you can relate to what all that hardwork can do to a person rather it's been a loved on you have watched or you are the one working endlessly without rest.

Our bodies and our minds are quite amazing. The stamina a person can have physically and mentally is mind boggling. God created an amazing system !

But as I turned in my concordance to the topic of REST I was presented with a scripture that I already knew but definitely have not practiced.

Genesis 2:2

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he RESTED from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating he had done.

I had to ask myself how many years it had been since I read "In the Beginning," and it's been a long time. It was one of those things I guess I thought I didn't need to read again as I had heard it since I was little and I knew what happened ...

All I can say is, I have learned a valuable lesson. Re-reading something just because you have heard it a dozen times or more isn't a bad idea, there are new lessons to be learned and new seasons of life in which to learn them. God can speak to us through the same scripture many times over each time in a different way.

I realized that "Who am I" to think that I am above God ? Because really that is what I have ultimately been doing.

By not RESTING, nor thinking I needed to REST, working hours upon hours passing up lunch, working through dinner, filling every waking moment with work, "Addicted to Work" I was saying I was greater than God.

In Genesis 2:2 It says that God rested from his work of creating.

"God needed a REST" ...."God needed a REST"

The Creator, The King, El Shaddai, he needed a Rest ! (Now I know that this was his way of showing us what he wanted us to do and I completely understand that. But at this moment in time where I am at God helped me to see that he even took a REST rather he needed it or no ..he clearly laid out a perfect plan and I was putting myself above it)

We are told that He created us in his image. Then if we represent him I gather following in His Footsteps isn't such a Bad Idea !!! If God RESTED from his work how much more do we need to follow his lead.

I can't remember where I gathered this tidbit of info., but did you know that while you are sleeping your body is getting a maintenance job ? It's True, while we sleep our body repairs itself all on it's own ! Remarkable Hah ! Taking that into consideration "REST" is like getting a tune up on your care or doing a disk clean-up and defrag on your computer.

If you don't take Good care and maintenance to either of these Machines they will quite Running. A car with little Brake Pads or a Computer with a Virus would both be very bad ...Then why don't we consider or value our bodies in the same way ?

With that in mind, how much more emphasis should we put on caring for our own physical and mental well being and providing ourselves with "REST" so the mind (the bodies computer) can clean up and defrag..and so the body can Tune itself up for some more mileage, and so the Soul can be refreshed !

Rest is Key in healing ...rather it's physical or Emotional healing that is needed.

I lie down and sleep

I wake again

Because

The Lord Sustains me.

Psalm 3:5

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I will Lie down and sleep

in peace,

for you alone, O Lord

Make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

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Lastly I found that in one of the Beautiful Stories of the New Testament where Jesus feeds the Five Thousand, that "REST" is was an intrical and important part of this feast for the disciples. Something I have never noticed as an important part of this passage.

In Mark 6: 30-32 it reads:

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." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Jesus knew what the disciples were going to be facing and because he knew their bodies and capabilities better than themselves, he know they needed REST. so he took them to a "Quiet" place to get REST.

Here this Miracle was going to take place and the disciples were to be part of it and Jesus knew they needed REST. And he provided REST for them. What would have happened if the diciples would have told Jesus. " No Thanks, hey were good, were not tired in the least, we can handle it, we think were strong enough and know our bodies better than you ..So Gee thanks but lets just get on with things."

Would they have grown weary and Lost out on the opputunity of a life time to not only witness a miracle, but to be part of it ?

I had to turn that scenario around and ask myself, " How many times have I turned away REST and worked until I really was completely unproductive?" Answer = ALOT. Then I had to ask, What did I miss out on ? What oppurtunities did the Lord have in store from me that I "Turned Down" because I thought I was better, knew better that God and didn't need REST like him ?

I will never know what I have lost becausee of my choice of "UNREST" but from this day forward I can choose, (it is a choice) to do better and "REST."

"REST" another step in the healing process. Start "Resting" today, and a beautiful Oppurtunity just might come your way ..and while your resting take this precious time to Grow Closer to the Lord.

Your Sister in Christ ....Sara

Binding Up The Wounds

Healing

Do you ever feel like you need to be saved ? Do you ever feel like Crying out for help ?

I think we all experience this at times in life. Probably more now than ever with the hard times that have fallen upon so many.

I have heard it said countless times over the years, that when times are "Good" we humans, "Children of God" forget him, forget that all we are and all we have is because of him and begin to grow farther from him.

Yet when Death, Destruction, or Hard Times of any kind befall us we cry out for him, either pleading for help or mercy or healing or understanding and so on...because of the uncomfortable and even painful state we are in. Or we Lash out in Anger because we blame him for our misfortune or bad times that have emotionally overcome us.

I think it's a typical reaction we have as humans not only toward God but toward each other. Rather it's aimed at or received from friends, family, co-workers or even strangers.

Happiness just seems to flow with the Good Times and Unhappiness with the Bad Times. It's our nature.

My sharing this with you today all stems from my search in my Bible for scriptures on Healing. I know you are saying right now what does this have to do with healing. As most people think of healing as a broken leg or some kind of disease. But in many cases ..People just need healing from life. Not just physical wounds need healing but emotional wounds need healing. And Right now ..in these times ..I think there are probably many with emotional wounds that are crying out for help and healing.

Well as I searched my concordance I was directed to

Psalm 147:3

He heals the Brokenhearted

AND binds up their wounds.

I thought it quite amazing that of all the scriptures on healing I looked up first it was this one ...Because to the opposite page in my bible my eye was caught by some scripture that was highlighted in Orange ..which I must have highlighted many years ago and I immediately realized it was connected to healing.

Psalm 145: 18-19

The Lord is near to all who call on him

To all who call on him in "TRUTH"

He "FULFILLS" the desires of those who fear him

He "HEARS" their cry and "SAVES" them

God helped me to see in these scriptures that there is a beginning to our healing.

Rather you are healing from a broken relationship, bad choices made, financial woes, emotional pain and so on.... We are told some Key things in these scriptures.

1. If you are calling on the Lord "he is near to you" (even if you don't feel it ..it says he is ..so take comfort he is standing by you or possibly even cradling you in the palm of his hand)

2. We must be calling on him in "Truth" ( to me this means that you must truly mean what you say not playing games with God, Truly being sorry for your sins and Truly desiring what is honorable and right in his eyes)

3. It says "he will fulfill the desires" ( right here we are assured he will take care of our desires) I had to ask myself what my desires are and are they in line with what God would want ?

4. We are told he hears our "Cry's" (Isn't this what so many of us need ? Our "Cry's" to be heard ?) Take comfort he hears and he's weeping with you and me. Just as when we are rejoicing in happiness he rejoices with us.

5. Lastly it says "He Saves them" ( do you need to be Saved ? or Healed ?) Then know that he shall save you ... Just continue asking.

If you read on to Verse 20 it reads:

The Lord watches over "All " who " LOVE " him.

Do you " LOVE " him ? I know I do. So I know that where I am at right now... Today...At This Moment ... in my life he is watching over me. I take comfort in that and my hope is that you will Too.

That brings me full circle in my search for Scriptures of healing to the first one I was directed to.

If you are brokenhearted ( and a brokenheart is not just specific to that of romance, But to that of any loss or pain) Then know He will Bind up your wounds as it says in Psalm 147:3

~ ~ ~

Once again my mind turns to our Human Nature ..and I imagine that since God made us so very alike in Nature, that like me you too have little patience and it can ware rather thin very quickly.

In Psalm 147:3 The "Key" phrase I realized was "Bind Up Wounds"

To me Binding up wounds doesn't mean the wounds are gone but they are being dressed with aides to heal them. The Scripture doesn't say the wounds are gone, that they have vanished. So I realize that Healing is a process. Just like a cut or a scrape that our bodies have been inflicted with physically..depending on the severity of that wound, the healing process "the binding up time" can be a short span of time or a very lengthy span of time. All depending on the healing process necessary for the individual.

This I believe applies to the "wounds of Life." So consider when you are feeling impatient and wanting the pain or discomfort of whatever issue in life you are facing to be over " NOW" ...that God's timing is perfect timing. The Bindings will fall away and the healing process will be perfect "IF ONLY" we allow him to bind our wounds, call on him in truth and he will hear our cry's and Save us.

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Trust in the Lord with all your Heart

and "Lean Not" on your own understanding

In all your ways Acknowledge him(praising him in all things)

and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5

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I think the Key to all of this is doing your "Best" each day. There is no doubt that our impatience will flare up and overcome us at times, that we will have doubts that creep into our minds, that our trust will waiver, and that the ever day disturbances of life will try to hamper the healing process.

But if each time these or any other issues come to mind or face us head on at any moment ..we must try our hardest to remember these scriptures and the promises we have been given and we will endure.

There's an old saying "Putting one foot in front of the other"

So dawn with me today your spiritual shoes .. and begin putting one foot in front of the other and claiming these scriptures for healing in your life. Bind yourself in the word of God.

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May God Bless you and Keep you my Dear Friends ..

With the Love of God ...Sara