Saturday, January 17, 2009

My Scripture for the Year, at least for January

It's a scripture that I am already very familiar with and yet, it is speaking to me in new ways, every day. I feel that there is so much for me to learn in these words as I apply them daily to my life.
Matthew 11:28-29
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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."

The first lesson to learn is the coming - coming to Him, coming to Jesus, abiding in Him, dwelling with Him, living in His presence and learning from Him. To come away in my mind from all the tasks at hand and just to be with Him.

The second lesson is that of rest. To rest in Him, trusting in Him. The rest of a healthy relationship in which nothing has to be said or done to be accepted and loved. The rest of just being with Jesus. The Sabboth rest, of leaving work and choosing Him.
Unrest characterizes so much of my life and along with that comes a lack of peace and joy.
But Jesus would have me to rest.
Although work is very important in a life of mothering and ministry, God gives the gift of rest in coming to Him. In creating our world, God gave not just a tenth of His life to rest, like a tithe, but He gave a seventh - an even bigger portion! We tithe of our income - how much more should we surrender to the rest of relationship? To just stop the doing and simply come to Him.

The third lesson is that of humility and gentleness. Jesus is gentle and humble of heart. He never forces Himself upon us. He is gentleman and so worthy of our adoration. He is, in His character so lovely, so wonderful and He would have me to become more and more like Him. I desire very much to learn gentleness. It is a characteristic that has never come easy to me. As I am mothering, I see more and more how important it is that I grow in this area. As for humility, it seems that in my sinful nature I swing back and forth betwen insecurities and pride - to opposites of the same coin. Somewhere God has true humility for me - a security in Him that seeks not people's praise and is simply accepting of myself and others in the knowledge of His love for us.

C.S. Lewis said, "Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less,"

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