Category: Devotional

Part 3

“Come to Me. I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

Rest.

Such a simple, common word. Such a common human need. Such a common, human
experience. . . but not always within our grasp.

Remember an experience when you were utterly exhausted. You could hardly put one foot infront of the other, because your strength was gone. There was nothing left in you to give.

Many in our world have lost the experience of true “rest.” Stress, pressure, emotional turmoil . . . so much a part of our lives in a world that is full of activity, effort, fear, insecurity.

Jesus certainly faced that common human reality while He walked in our world. He would not have experienced our earthly, human limitations in Heaven’s Realm before He chose to come in human form and live the human experience. He spoke of rest. He took rest. Even in a boat during a violent storm, His human body needed to sleep.

But “sleep” is not necessarily “rest.” We may be able to sleep. . . but wake up with the same
emotional turmoil, mental anguish, heart-aches, and spiritual emptiness that drains Life from our very beings. We carry emotional and mental weights that are too heavy to bear.We take on burdens that slow our walk to a crawl. Or to a halt.

Jesus’ simple, open Invitation is exactly what our exhausted, empty souls need. Rest. Not just a physical “rest”. Not just a mental “rest.” Not just an emotional “rest.” But a rest that only He can give. An all-encompassing rest that touches far beyond the physical need. It touches our very soul.

I will never forget an experience I had in the Sahara Desert, in the refugee camps in July one summer. Temperatures were +120 degrees Fahrenheit, with no breeze. I dragged myself into a tent and laid on a thin rug covering the sand. Completely exhausted, dehydrated, hot, and fully wrapped in my traditional covering, I fell asleep. A few hours later, I slowly began to awaken, with a soft awareness of gentle hands holding one foot, and then the other, tenderly wiping each with a soft, wet cloth. Without opening my eyes, the gentle care brought me back to awareness and the sensation of tender hands and a soft, wet cloth tenderly removing the dusty, gritty sand that coated my cracked, sore feet. First one. Then the other. I was having a little taste of Heaven on that desert floor! My senses were being awakened. . . my thoughts began to engage, . . . my exhausted mind sensed “life” returning, and my heart was aware of God’s gentle love and care . . . through the hands of a loving friend.

That simple, tender act of kindness . . . to the most unseemly, battered part of my body, brought an unmatched sense of love, care, soothing, and comfort like nothing I had experienced before. It continues to be one of those moments that I will never forget.

A worn basin, cool water, a humble cloth, and gentle hands. When offered into God’s Hands,
they bring healing that goes deeper than our eyes can see.

(Part 1)

“I have told you this so that
My Peace will be with you.
In the world you will have trouble.
But don’t be sad!
I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

They had spent the evening together. They had shared a meal, spent time together in a
comfortable setting, and had enjoyed uninterrupted time relaxing and simply enjoying each
other’s company without the frequent demands that came to Jesus from people who wanted His attention and help. Jesus had washed their feet before the meal, taking personal time in that simple, kind, practical act with each of His dearest followers. They had been through so much together in the past few years.

They did not realize what was so soon to come as they sat with Him, relaxing that evening. He showed no signs of worry, or fear, or sadness as they spent that time together. Jesus was focused on His friends, giving them encouragement. They were not aware of how frightening and difficult the coming hours and days would be. . . not only for them, but for Him.

In those hours spent together, Jesus gave His full attention to them. He was not focused on the horrors that He knew were to take place later that night and the coming days. His full attention was on them. He was focused on them. . . these friends with whom He had shared Life and ministry for the past three years.

I cannot imagine spending the final hours of my life, knowing of horrific events that would soon begin to unfold, focused on a roomful of friends, sharing a meal, being the “Perfect Host,” and being fully Present with them throughout that final evening. What Love! What selfless attention He focused on them. Simple. Practical. Needful. Care for His friends. Serving them, with the full knowledge of what was to come for Him.

May my focus . . . my priorities . . . my energies reflect to the people who matter most in my life, the selflessness that Jesus lived and breathed each day. May my eyes be focused on serving and loving well throughout my days. Even when my own heart may be troubled and broken, may I reflect the One Who has loved me so well, even when it was not deserved. May those simple, practical ways of caring for the people in my life be a reflection of Jesus. . . and allow Him to use it in ways that I never could.

“Jesus said, ‘Let’s go up to Jerusalem.’”

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?! Jesus Himself inviting His followers to go with Him to Jerusalem! Such a special place! Such a “Crown Jewel” focal point for all of Israel.

But in order to go “up” to Jerusalem, you have to go down through the Kidron Valley that
surrounds the “up” of Jerusalem. It’s not glamorous. It would not have been an easy trek for
Jesus and His friends. It’s hot. It’s quite a steep hike up to Jerusalem. Not many shady spots
along the way on that steep slope. On foot. In sandals. BYO water. Etc.

But Jerusalem is worth the trek. All of Israel felt that. Even to this day, there is truly something very unique . . . VERY special about the first glimpse of Jerusalem from a distance. But winding through the heights/mountains around Jerusalem is not an easy trek on foot.

What a visual and experiential Picture God had designed as the Main Stage for His Greatest
Work to unfold in History! And through ages of turmoil and violence surrounding that Special Place, it still stands. Although the “Temple” now lives in our own hearts. . . where His Spirit resides when He has been invited . . . the Land remains.

It strikes me as SO relevant today, as Jesus continues to say to each of His Own followers now, “Let’s go up to Jerusalem.” The “City of God.” ‘Come with Me, . . . let’s Go together.’

Whatever “Valley” has been the setting of your present reality, His invitation continues. And I think that the sweetest part of the invitation is that He intends to be on the Journey with us! He could have said, “Hey! Buddy! You need to go up to Jerusalem! I have a good reason to tell you to do it. Just Trust Me!” But that’s not what He does. He is making the trek with us. No map provided. No travel coupons included. No shade even offered. . . nor Kwik Trips along the way. Basically, We’re gonna hike it together. We can do this! Let’s go! (My personal
translation, here.)

We’re all in our own “valley” spots. We’ve been following Him. Sometimes He seems “missing-in-action,’ . . . but He never is. And when those times come and He asks us to do something outside of the ‘usual,’ we might hesitate . . . question . . . start making our list of plans. That’s only human, right?

But His Response is usually quite simple. “Let’s go.” And that is enough.

“You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare His Way,
You will make his people know that they can be saved through the forgiveness of their sins.
A new day will dawn on us from above
because our God is loving and merciful.”
Luke 1:76-78

They had longed for and prayed for God to give them a child, but their age had made it an
impossible dream. They had been faithful servants of the God of Israel, but any hope of having a baby of their own was gone.

But God’s Timing is perfect.

When Zechariah and Elizabeth had passed the point of “possibility” . . . God gave them John,
and He laid out His Plan for that pre-born baby boy. Speaking to the tiny life growing in
Elizabeth’s womb, God gave the child His Purpose, and his name: John. He would be the
Voice in the desert, announcing and preparing his nation for the One soon to come into the
world during John’s lifetime. The mission God would give their son in his adult life:
Announcing and preparing his nation for the Messiah’s coming. All those years of longing for a baby. . . and Hope was gone. Only God’s Intervention could make it possible.

And He did. . . in a direct Communication from God, while still in his mama’s womb, God gave
that tiny human his Purpose in life. His message would be laying the Groundwork for the
coming Messiah, already being “knit together” in his Cousin Mary’s womb.

God gives us a Glimpse of how and who He uses to carry out His Words, Love, and Purposes in this world. Luke, a chosen disciple of Jesus, gives us through his writings, a glimpse of God’s preparations through un-likely people . . . even infants and small children . . . to join Him in bringing His Light into our dark world. Sometimes even little ones give us pearls of wisdom that come through the mouths of babes…a most unexpected source.

May we be willing and obedient “children” to listen to our Father’s Words and speak them in a dark world waiting for His Light.

“Although mothers may forget,
I will not forget you.
I have engraved you on
the palms of My Hands.”
Isaiah 49:15-16

I need to make little reminders to myself, but not at a convenient moment when I have a piece of paper and a pencil handy. So, I will make the note on my own hand. That way I’m sure not to lose it in the bottom of my purse or the floor of my car.

I find it very interesting that God refers His Words about “forgetting” to mothers. I don’t sense any condemnation or criticism in His Words. . . rather a universal reality acknowledging the seemingly endless pieces of information for which mothers have to keep track on a daily . . . hourly. . . minute-by-minute basis concerning the children, people, and details in her life. Some of those details we do simply forget.

Because mothers are usually the more present parent in their child’s life, she becomes the one to whom her children automatically look as their frequent needs and desires come to their little minds and hearts.

It’s been a common scenario since the beginning of Time.

Feeling forgotten by a parent is a painful experience. If the one who gave birth to you is gone, there is a human nature dynamic that is instinctual . . . not contrived nor imposed. It’s a part of the “wiring” that God used from the Beginning of His Creation of life on this earth between the “Birth-er” and the “Birth-ee.”

But it’s also a part of human nature to forget. But, by God’s perfect Design, the seemingly most impossible “forgetting” situation would be that of a mother forgetting her child. It would be like forgetting your own arm or leg. Someone who had been divinely a part of her own body will always have that Created link, no matter what may damage that in life.

What a profound parallel God makes to that global Truth that has been in existence since Creation! It’s an example to which every human being can relate since The Beginning.
Our Father in Heaven, Who brought human life into existence by His Own Hands, not through a womb, has each of us permanently imprinted there. On His Hand.

The only thing He forgets is the sin His Son’s Blood has covered.

“I am giving you a new commandment:
‘ Love each other in the same way that I have loved you.’
Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.”
 ~ Jesus  John 13:34-35

Jesus had just watched Judas leave the table, and leave the room. He knew exactly
what Judas was about to do, and the wheels of betrayal would begin to carry Him to the
horrific abandonment, physical torture, betrayal, and death on a cross. The brutal
punishment for what? Love. Perfect, sinless love.

With Eternity in His Eyes, Love stayed His Hand. He had Called Judas to follow Him.
Jesus had brought him into His closest circle of friends, knowing what Judas would do
with the trust Jesus had given him. He had not treated Judas differently than the other
11 of His chosen friends. Jesus had given him every chance to make a spiritual impact
on the world.

But there was something of higher value in Judas’ heart. It was himself. To lay down
his life to pursue following Jesus was not what he chose. That would cost him too
much. Money and all that it offered in life meant more to him.

Jesus knew the highest priority in Judas’ life. But He Called him to be His follower
anyway. He treated him no differently than the rest of His “inner circle.” For three
years, Judas had given his life to follow Jesus and had come to know Him personally.
He had been included, despite what was true of his own heart. And in the end, Judas
chose himself above the One Who had chosen him.

Following Jesus is not an easy Path. It’s messy. It’s difficult. It’s inconvenient. It
requires pushing our Will, comfort, plans and desires out of the list of priorities.
Surrendering ourselves to Jesus makes no sense in our world. It’s not normal. It can
require more of us than we could have imagined, or ever wanted to give. But as we
walk the Path upon which we follow Him, His Presence never leaves us abandoned or
alone.

And in those Moments when He catches our eyes or wraps His Arm across our
shoulder, or unexpectedly comes so very near, we are reminded of the greatest
privilege we have been given to follow Him and know His Presence, wherever He may
lead.

“Cast all your anxieties on Him,
because He cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7

Sometimes, the Path we are walking becomes too hard, and we don’t know if we can continue on. Maybe the Path is one that God Called you to walk in the work of building His Kingdom. Maybe it’s the Path that your family is walking, including challenges, heartache, conflicts, or struggles in relationship with each other. Maybe the Path was going well, until something unexpected suddenly forced a significant, unplanned change of course. Perhaps the Path is simply within your own heart and mind, having a sense of feeling lost, with no clarity of how to get back on that Path you had known so well.

Peter had been on a familiar path in his life as a fisherman on the beautiful Sea of Galilee. He knew how to do it well. He had learned all the “ropes” of his boat, the Sea itself, and the nets for catching and selling the fish he caught.

But then one day he encountered Jesus, and his world turned completely upside down. Instead of dealing with fish, he was given a responsibility to deal with, care for, and lead people into a knowledge of the One Who had changed his life.

It was not an easy Path. Fishermen are not usually chatterboxes….more often they’re the quieter ones. He had to learn a whole new World, involving working with humanity instead of simple, reliable fish. Messy, difficult, emotional, unmanagable humans. Fish were a lot easier. Casting nets was far easier than casting emotions, worries, thoughts, heartaches and fears onto the God he was coming to know through his relationship with Jesus.

Peter had stepped into a whole new world. All he could do was to keep his eyes and his heart focused on the One Who had changed his heart, life, and eternal Destination.
What cares are you carrying? Whatever brought those cares into your mind and heart, . . . your life…God knows.

The same One Who Peter had come to know and love. . . and for Whom he eventually gave his life, is Present. His Arm is around your shoulder, and He is walking beside you on whatever road you are walking. He wants to make the journey with you. Talk with Him. He is listening. And He has things to tell you that will bring Peace to your soul.