Maneuvers - No. 57
Come Rest
With Me
In this fast-paced culture, we secretly crave stillness.
But how can we slow down when the world is telling us to move faster, try harder, and reach higher?
It’s exhausting, isn’t it, friend?
And what happens when we ignore that exhaustion and just keep pushing and striving? Do we find ourselves ignoring the only One who can give us true stillness–true peace?
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, wants to lead us, to show us how to slow down, to draw us closer. He just wants to be with us. And if we search our hearts–truly search–we’ll find that all we really want is to be with him, too.
Do you crave that kind of peace and closeness with God? Do you wish you could just rest with him, in his presence today?
King David felt that, too. This is how he described his longing for the Lord’s presence:
“As a deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. Where can I find him to come and stand before him?” (Psalm 42:1-2, TLB).
When we (Jennifer and Justin) get caught up in the craziness of the world’s pressures and deadlines and schedules, this is exactly how we feel. We feel parched for the stillness of Jesus’ presence. We thirst for his closeness.
If that’s how you feel today, then come. Join us as we listen to Holy Spirit’s words…
01.
The Message
“It is easy to ignore me. It is easy to stay preoccupied. The world sets a pace that is maddening. It is a pace of rushing and proving, striving and getting ahead. It also encourages you to numb your heart–to have you choose busyness, productivity–so that you feel uncomfortable with silence, with space, with rest, with being with me.
“You forget me.
“And in this attitude of forgetting me, you feel empty–but, again, when the opportunity to slow down is there, it becomes difficult for you to choose it. Anything that provides you an opportunity to slow down has become foreign. You have forgotten how to fill and nurture your heart.
“Can I teach you? Can I show you now?
“First, work on remembering…remembering me….remembering who you are. In the act of remembering, think about who I am. Read about me–experience me first hand. Listen to what I say; let your imagination bring the words to life. See me, hear me. You can trust my guidance here.
“As you become attuned to my voice, the listening you do will lead you to following me, abiding in me, It is this act of abiding with me that will keep your heart awake, responsive to my love for you. This love will help you choose a rhythm of living that satisfies your deepest cravings–for love, for joy, for rest, for hope.
“I love you. I am for you. I am your heart’s deepest desire. Nothing else–but me–will satisfy. Try me–you’ve already tried the other. See if this new way to live that I propose is good and life-giving and true. I am so excited to be with you. I am running now. I can’t even wait to have you in my arms.”
02.
Listen
Read that last line again: “I can’t even wait to have you in my arms.” How do those words resonate in you? What do they make you feel? How do you want to respond to the Lord right now? Let’s pull out our journals to do so.
03.
Think
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:1-3a, ESV).
1. Where have you allowed the world to dictate your schedule? Where do you feel hurried, overwhelmed, rushed, or exhausted?
2. Imagine yourself at rest right now. What does that look like? What does resting with Jesus feel like?
3. What practical steps can you take to guard your times of stillness and rest with Jesus?
04.
Trust
Let’s return to this week’s message…
“It is easy to ignore me. It is easy to stay preoccupied. The world sets a pace that is maddening. It is a pace of rushing and proving, striving and getting ahead. It also encourages you to numb your heart–to have you choose busyness, productivity–so that you feel uncomfortable with silence, with space, with rest, with being with me. … Can I teach you? Can I show you now?
“First, work on remembering…remembering me…remembering who you are. In the act of remembering, think about who I am. Read about me–experience me first hand. Listen to what I say; let your imagination bring the words to life. See me, hear me. You can trust my guidance here.”
Can we take a few minutes to respond to this word? To do so, let’s find a quiet spot where we can relax. Maybe outside on the backyard porch or at a nearby park. Maybe simply in a comfy recliner with a cup of coffee.
In the quiet, let’s read Matthew 11:25-30.
Now, let’s practice resting. As we close our eyes, let’s breathe in slowly: 1… 2… 3… 4… Now breathe out: 1… 2… 3… 4…
As we close our eyes and breathe, let’s imagine Jesus sitting beside us. What is he doing? Holding our hand? Letting us rest our head on his shoulder? Putting his arm around us?
Focus on him. Focus on the rise and fall of his breath. His steady, calming presence. Focus on his heart, his character, his truth.
Then he turns. He looks you in the eye… What is he saying? Let’s write that down and respond in prayer…
05.
Pray
Thank you, Jesus, for the rest and peace I have in your presence. Right now, I surrender to that rest. I receive that peace. (Pause here. Breathe in for four seconds, hold it for a moment, and breathe out for four seconds. Let’s do that one more time.)
I confess to you where I’ve allowed busyness and chaos to pull me from you and cause me to even forget you.
You are my heart’s deepest desire. You’re all I want. I choose you over busyness. I choose you over the noise. I choose you over my own self-efforts.
As I rest in you right now, speak to me. Let me hear your voice. Teach me to rest.
In your precious name I pray, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
