Word of the Week - Soulful Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

It is amazing to me how quickly the entire world has downshifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine.  This is a great opportunity for all of us to “find rest for our souls”.  We have all been forced at some level to move from our busy day to day routines that seem to be accelerating each year due to technology and the digital age, to a much slower and more simple pace.  There is no doubt that many of us are stressed and worn out because we are so busy and we don’t really know how to Rest.  “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones.” Psalm 127:2  We think we can find Rest in more sleep, leisure time off or vacations; even though these are good things that we all need to remain healthy, the Rest referred to in Matthew 11 above is a much deeper level of Rest that is needed for our souls and spirits to be refreshed and restored.  So what is this “Rest” that the Lord is referring to in Matthew 11 and how can we receive it?Rest is security through Salvation:  It starts with eternal security that comes by salvation and knowing deep within our being that we are safe and secure in Christ as a child of God.  Isaiah 30:15 “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”  Our souls long to know that we are safe and secure in God our Father similar to a child’s longing to know that he or she is under the loving protection and security of parents.  This brings a deep sense of security that allows to experience a deeper state of Rest.Rest is trust in God through taking Sabbath:  We also find true Rest by putting healthy and intentional boundaries in our lives so that our souls have space to Rest and be refreshed.  This is the principle of Sabbath that is contrary to how the world operates but is truly a key to finding real Rest.  “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God”. Exodus 20:8-10.  God our Creator, designed us with the Sabbath in mind for our own good, and we will only find true rest and perform at our best if we adhere to God’s design and embrace the Sabbath.  The idea of Sabbath is that we stop and don’t engage in our “vocational work” for one day a week.  During our Sabbath day of Rest, we would engage in feeding our body, mind, soul and spirit with good healthy and godly things that refresh us.  Going to church on Sunday is just one of these things, but the Sabbath principle is much broader than church attendance.  It should include time for prayer, study, exercise, fellowship, enjoying family and recreation/hobbies.  Most importantly having space between your work and your soul life.  If we truly trust God as our provider then we will be able to embrace the sabbath and find good healthy rest to be restored weekly.Rest is living with true Purpose and Significance:  We find true Rest when we live with purpose and significance towards our eternal destiny.  If we truly understand why we are on this earth and have an eternal God perspective then we can find Rest in knowing and trusting that God “works all things together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28.  This gives us a deep sense of security and Rest even in the trials and storms of life, like the one we are facing today.  Understanding that we are made on purpose for a “time such as this” so we can step into our destiny with confidence and know that God is using us for His plans that are much greater than our plans, even though we may not clearly understand how it all works together.  Simple faith and trust in God brings tremendous Rest to our souls.Psalm 23 is an amazing scripture that exudes the idea of Resting in God even in facing the darkest trials and tribulations of life. “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”COVID-19 from a Spiritual/Biblical Perspective:The official lock down started March 23 and will likely end May 1st. That is EXACTLY 40 days.  The Latin root of the word "quarantine" is "forty".  So what does the Bible say about 40?  The flood lasted 40 days. 40 years Moses fled Egypt.  40 days Moses stayed on Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments.  Exodus lasted 40 years.  Jesus fasted for 40 days.  40 days for a woman to rest after giving birth.  Optimum number of weeks for human gestation is 40.A group of theologians thinks the number 40 represents "change”. It is the time of preparing a person, or people, to make a fundamental change.  Something will happen after these 40 days. Just believe and pray. Remember, whenever the number 40 appears in the Bible, there is a "change".  Please know that during this "quarantine" rivers are cleaning up, vegetation is growing, the air is becoming cleaner because of less pollution, there is less theft and murder, healing is happening, and most importantly, people are turning to Christ. The Earth is at rest for the first time in many years and hearts are truly transforming.  Remember we are in the year 2020, and 20 + 20 = 40.  Also, 2020 is the year of the United States Census. Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, was born during a census.  Lastly, 2020 is perfect vision. May our sight focus on the Lord and living according to His perfect vision for us knowing He holds us in the palm of His hand.May these days of "quarantine" bring spiritual liberation to our souls, our nation, and our world in the name of Jesus.-Duane