“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:11 God doesn’t just suggest or encourage rest, He commands us to rest (Exodus 20:8–11) and He led by…
2 Samuel 16:13-14 ESV “So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan.…
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the…
“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” Mark 6:31 When I was in Bible College, one of our teachers used to quote the following: “Time out to sharpen the sickle is never spent in vain.” I think of this quite…
A DRINK FROM THE SPRING
“And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.” Genesis 26:19
On the farm where I grew up, there was a spring in the lower pasture. Even in winter, the bubbling water never froze. I remember us having to take the cattle down there for water every day.
In summer, no matter how hot it was, the water from the spring was always cold and refreshing.
Jesus likened the Holy Spirit to a well of water springing up within us. No matter what we are going through in our lives, we can come to the Lord and drink of that refreshing water He provides.
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for the living water that you have given us, a well that never runs dry. May your Spirit continually bubble up from our hearts to bless others.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as Eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31, Holy Bible, King James Version)
Long lines form at airport security, in motor vehicle offices, at pharmacies, grocers, and retail stores. Waiting extends to restaurants and gas pumps. Chairs are filled in reception areas of health providers. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Wasted minutes, sometimes hours.
Waiting on God is different. It renews strength to the weary. Pray, trust, and be refreshed while you wait.
Prayer: Lord, waiting in my daily routine has made me impatient for Your response to my prayers. Refresh me while I wait for your promises. Amen.
Devotion by Violet Carr Moore
“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” Genesis 2:2
Imagine a world without rest. Being expected to be awake and busy 24/7… talk about a shortened life span! None of us would be around for long. God used the seventh day of creation to demonstrate to us that we need to rest.
So we need to take that to heart, by getting a good rest at night, because He gives His beloved sleep. And we need to have a day of rest and worship each week, when we are refreshed and rejuvenated. As well, we need periodic vacations, a break from our job routine to spend time with the ones we love and recalibrate ourselves.
We need spiritual rest also; and that comes from the Holy Spirit. But we also need to implement the rest principle as we work for God. We cannot minister constantly without burning out. It is important to follow our Creator’s example and plan times and seasons of rest
Prayer: Lord, help me to intentionally build rest and relaxation into my schedule, and not feel guilty about it. This body You gave me has to last a lifetime, so help me to take good care of it.
Devotion by Liane Grant