Weapons of the Righteous – Resting in the Lord

Years ago while at a worship service, I was soaking in God’s presence when the word “taskmaster” popped in my mind.   I was excited, I was thinking, “Yes Lord, this is what you are to me – a Taskmaster.” It wasn’t long after, I realized that God wasn’t showing me He was my Taskmaster, but that I had the wrong impression of Him.  Good performance made me feel accepted by man, hence, this translated into my relationship with God.   It wasn’t until I came to a point in my life where because of circumstances I was no longer in the position to toil for acceptance that I was forced to be still.  Then, I truly began to know God and become immersed in the immense love He has for me.   It finally sunk in that I did not need to labor for His love, and all I had to do was rest in Him and His love.  That was a life-changing revelation.

Unfortunately, the atmosphere in many of our churches are not conducive for rest.  We are respecters of persons, placing greater esteem on those who can do more and those who have more. Environments like these are breeding grounds for the enemy to inoculate us with his lies that we are less than who God created us to be.  This can result in unrest as some look at other church members with resentment because they are seen as being favored more by leaders, while these same church workers are angry and burnt out, with the perception that they are arduously carrying out tasks as others look on.   Remember Mary and Martha? 

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10: 40-42 (NASB)

There is just so much going on in this passage.   However, what stands out first to me is that Martha questioned if Jesus cared because she was serving alone.   I understand Martha.  For several years I have done ministry in the inner city basically solo, and I have wondered why God would not answer my prayers to send good Christians to help me on the ground as I battle on the frontlines. But, I have come to rest in the fact that the Lord is with me and the battle is His.  He will fight for me and all I need to do is be still. The words used to describe Martha are also quite telling – distracted, worried and bothered.  How many times have we taken our focus off the Father while being distracted by our efforts to please Him and others with our good works?  We get worried and bothered when our tasks seem unending and there is little help, yet our Lord has called us to rest at His feet, like Mary, because this is the better way.   Actually, when we are distracted, worried and bothered we are out of position to truly hear God.   Martha was physically out Jesus’ presence often as she scurried around busily serving. Moreover, as she darted back and forth making sure everything was in place, her mind was out of place for His words to penetrate her soul.  Angry, annoyed and feeling self-pity, she could not hear God clearly.  Neither can we when our minds are under assault from the enemy with fear, pride, resentment, nightmares and an assortment of artillery that he uses against us to obscure the voice of God.

Far too many Christians are entangled in worldly affairs instead of pleasing the Father by resting in His presence, so that He will give us understanding in everything.  We also try so hard to do for God, when He just desires us to be in Him.  A tree does not struggle to be a tree, it just is.  In John 15, Jesus called Himself the Vine and we, His followers, the branches.  He stated that He should abide in us, and we should remain in Him in order to bear fruit, because apart from Him, we can do nothing.  Frankly, a lot of us are busy doing nothing, because it is not in Christ.  Therefore, we are not glorifying the Father.   As a matter of fact, we weary ourselves out, giving the devil much pleasure as we seek to accomplish tasks in our own strength that are not God ordained.  As a consequence, we may never enter God’s rest.

Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.  Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in My anger,
    ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”

And yet His works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all His works.”  And again in the passage above He says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Hebrews 4:1-5 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to miss out on God’s rest, and this is not just about the seventh day, but every day in my life I want to repose in the rest that God has promised us.  Too many of us get so bent out of shape declaring and decreeing, and naming and claiming promises that are not really ours, but what we want for ourselves.   This is when we need to turn the crafty serpent’s words on himself and ask, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1).  If He said it, He will do it.  If it is His promise, He will fulfill it.  Actually, He has already done it.  God’s work has been completed from the formation of His creation.  We don’t have to try to make anything happen.  So, let us unbend and make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. Hebrews 4:11   God was angry with the people in the above Scriptures because they out of unbelief, disobeyed Him, resulting in their forfeiting His rest and the Promised Land.  

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. 

Psalm 37:7 (NASB)

In Jamaica there is a saying, “Nuh watch no face,” which simply means that we shouldn’t worry about what anyone thinks.   It leads to trouble when we are worried and bothered that people may look down on us for not having the “right things.” As children of God we should not be defined by the success of this world. 

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 

1 Timothy 6:6-9 (NASB)

We drive the devil crazy when we are content with whatever we own or don’t own, and give out of the little that we may have, instead of trying to accumulate material stuff out of greed and pride.  We must not forget that we are in an upside down Kingdom, where the first is last, and where we as children of the Most High God are to be lowly servants.  We can rest knowing that because we are His children, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So we are no longer slaves, but God’s children; and since we are His children, God has made us also heirs in His Kingdom. (Galatians 4:6-7)  And, He rejoices over us as we rest in Him. 

The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. 

Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

This translation of this verse allows me to conjure up an image of a loving parent looking down adoringly at his baby resting securely in his arms while singing, lulling the baby into peaceful sleep.  Abba, Father does the same for us.  He invites us into His rest in His loving arms, in which no one can pluck us out.  He is joyful that we are in His arms.  We are His and He is ours.  We become one with Him as we rest in Him and stay connected to the Vine.