Thursday, November 12, 2015

rest is worship...

artwork by Tamara Peterson

This beautiful Bible journaling artwork by Tamara Peterson inspired me as I listened to a new song by Jonny Diaz, BreatheWhen the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel You say, “Just breathe, just breathe. Come and rest at My feet and be, just be. Chaos calls, but all you really need is to take it in, fill your lungs, the Peace of God that overcomes, just breathe, let your weary spirit rest, lay down what’s good and find what’s best, just breathe, just breathe, just breathe…” This drew my heart to a word study of the word, “rest,” from Matthew 11:28-30

Amplified: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]  Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jer. 6:16] For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Phillips: Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened, and I will give you rest! Put on my yoke 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."

Wuest: Come here to me, all who are growing weary to the point of exhaustion, and who have been loaded with burdens and are bending beneath their weight, and I alone will cause you to cease from your labor and take away your burdens and thus refresh you with rest. Take at once my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find cessation from labor and refreshment for your souls,  for my yoke is mild and pleasant, and my load is light in weight.

The Message: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Rest (refresh) in Greek is anapauo, from ana, which means again, back, or even as intensifying the meaning of the verb pauo which means to cease or give rest. Anapauo means  to cause someone to become physically refreshed as the result of resting from work. Anapauo can also refer to spiritual refreshment or revival. Anapauo signifies “to cause or permit one to cease from any labor or movement” so as to recover strength. It implies previous toil and care. Its chief significance is that of taking, or causing to take, rest.

Pastor John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace, notes that...”The Greek word anapauo expresses something more than rest, or a mere relaxation from toil; it denotes refreshment likewise. When we are enabled to view our sins as laid upon Christ, that those who come are accepted in the Beloved, that there is no more condemnation—but pardon, reconciliation, and adoption, are the sure privileges of all who trust in Him—O the sweet calm that immediately takes place in the soul! It is something more than deliverance. When we are brought nearer to Christ, and taught to live upon him as our sanctification, deriving all our strength and motives from him by faith, we obtain a comparative rest in this respect also. We find hard things become easy, and mountains sink into plains, by power displayed in our behalf. How is this rest to be obtained? If it was to be bought—we have nothing to offer for it. If it was given as a reward of merit—we can do nothing to deserve it. But Jesus has said, "I will give you rest!" Our title to it cost Him dear; He purchased it for us with His own blood; but to us it comes freely."

A missionary in Africa experienced great difficulty in trying to translate the Gospel of John into the local dialect. He faced the problem of finding a word for “believe.” When he came to that particular word, he always had to leave a blank space. Then one day a runner came panting into the camp, having traveled a great distance with a very important message. After blurting out his story, he fell exhausted into a hammock nearby. He muttered a brief phrase that seemed to express both his great weariness and his contentment at finding such a delightful place of relaxation. The missionary, never having heard these words before, asked a bystander what the runner had said. "Oh, he is saying, ‘I'm at the end of myself, therefore I am resting all of my weight here!"' The missionary exclaimed, "Praise God! That is the very expression I need for the word believe!"

Rest is worship. Whatever stress or chaos may be in your life right now, Jesus invites you, just as he did the crowds he was teaching: “Come to Me. Give Me the heavy load you’re carrying. And in exchange, I will give you rest.” Jesus knows the challenges and deadlines we face and the weariness of mind or body we feel. He understands the stress, tasks, and responsibilities that are weighing us down. As we lay all that concerns us before him, His purpose replaces our agenda, and his lightness and rest replace our burden.

Rest is worship. The verdict is final. The case is never going to be re-tried—irrevocable. On that we can rest—we are justified on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. It is a blessing to know that I am, right now, under the completely sufficient imputed righteousness of Christ. Because I have placed my trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, I am redeemed by His precious blood. The threat of failure, judgment, and condemnation has been removed. Knowing that God’s love for me and approval of me will never be determined by my performance is the most encouraging promise to which I cling.

Lord Jesus, Thank You that I can rest in Your finished work on the Cross. Thank You that I can rest as You carry my burdens for me. I give them all to you and I gladly receive Your rest! Teach me Your wisdom that is humble and pure, and help me to walk in the ways you set before me. Thank You for Your mercy and love that invite me to continually experience Your Peace and enjoy Your Presence, living my life resting and trusting in You!

Look Up—meditate on Matthew 11:28-30

Look In—as you meditate on Matthew 11:28-30 pray to see how you might apply it to your life.

Look Out—as you meditate on Matthew 11:28-30 pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others.

35 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Wendy, thank you so much for stopping by! Many blessings to you ❤️

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  2. Just love that word Believe meaning ‘I'm at the end of myself, therefore I am resting all of my weight here!"'

    YES~!

    Thanks Beth...wonderful as always.

    xx

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    1. Mary, I so appreciate your kind and encouraging comments! You are a blessing to me and so many others. Many, many blessings to you ❤️

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  3. This is a great post Beth! Thanks for sharing. I hope you check out my blog and please follow by email. creatingpreciousmoments.blogspot.com

    I would also love it if you would check out my shop and please purchase something. ashleysyarnworks.blogspot.com

    In Christ,
    Ashley

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Ashley. Many blessings to you ❤️

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  4. Great post Beth. "The verdict is final. The case is never going to be re-tried—irrevocable. On that we can rest—we are justified on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross." -Powerful Words!

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    1. Thank you, Kelly. I so appreciate you stopping by...many blessings to you ❤️

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  5. What a great post about rest, Beth! I love Matthew 11 in The Message version.

    Thanks for sharing such a great reminder about the perfect rest and peace we have in Jesus!

    Came over today on Soul Survivor, and I'm glad to find your post.

    I pinned it here: https://www.pinterest.com/melredd/blog-link-parties-and-blog-link-ups/

    Blessings,
    Melanie

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    1. Melanie, thank you so much for your encouraging comments and pinning my post on your Pinterest board. Many blessings to you ❤️

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  6. Beth, this is fantastic! So thankful to stop by from the #WordswithWinter linkup.

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    1. Stephanie, thank you so much for your encouraging words. Many blessings to you ❤️

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  7. The idea that rest is worship is so beautiful and brings me peace just thinking about it. You chose a beautiful verse to highlight which always speaks to me. "Come to me all who are weary". Somedays I feel weary and pausing to know that in the rest, the quiet I am worshiping God is so good. Thank you for your words today.

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    1. Mary, I so appreciate your thoughtful comments. Thank you so much for stopping by...many blessings to you ❤️

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  8. Beth, visiting from the Small Wonder link up---I wrote in my journal the other night, "How many times does the word 'rest' show up in Scripture?" How interesting that you should share about it here.
    My issues with striving are usually a result of my trying to DO DO DO, to stay busy with good things and miss the God things.
    I wrote down the variations of the word from the concordance--there are many! and will look them up later. I[m guessing 'anapauo' will be among them.
    Thank you for this.

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    1. Jody, thank you for sharing your heart with me...it's so neat the way the Holy Spirit speaks to us about the same things at the same time...love linking up with sweet sisters in Christ at Small Wonder! Many blessings to you ❤️

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  9. Beth,

    I always appreciate your word studies so much!

    Recently, when casting all my burdens upon the Lord, I would claim the Psalm that states, "He will accomplish all that concerns me." I liked your added insight that "His purpose replaces our agenda, and his lightness and rest replace our burden." I re-read a few times, "His purpose replaces our agenda...", thinking what a provision of rest from the Lord that would be. No longer worrying about our own agenda, but trusting in God's purposes.

    I also found quite profound the quote from the missionary who said, ‘I'm at the end of myself, therefore I am resting all of my weight here!"' That truly is the essence of believing. What a perfect word picture!

    Thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. Karen, WOW! What a blessing from the Lord you are to me! Your very kind and enthusiastically encouraging and specific comments warm my heart...like a warm hug from our Abba Daddy...a little bit of heaven here on earth. What a joy it is to link up with sweet sisters in Christ like you. May the Lord bless you and keep you in a special way today ❤️

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    2. "I am at the end of myself" is so beautiful. Such a place where I want to be so that I am no longer but it is Christ in me. And that moment should be rest...should be total belief in the One and Only. WOW! you and Karen and others here have given me much to ponder and ruminate upon this day. Amen!!
      Caring through Christ, ~ linda

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    3. Linda, thank you so much for sharing your heart with us! Even though we haven't met in person, I feel like I know you and Karen from the open, honest, and warm way you share your love for Jesus. Many blessings to you as you rest in Him ❤️

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  10. Love this! "I am at the end of myself" (how often we ignore this reality and keep on trying to perfect ourselves, improve ourselves and promote ourselves when we should just be resting).

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    1. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments...I so agree with you. Many blessings to you ❤️

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  11. I've been thinking about this topic a lot lately, so I really appreciated this post and loved reading all the different versions of that Scripture. I already feel calmer, just reading this. Thank you for giving me some topics to meditate on!

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    1. Leslie, your words are so encouraging to me...the fulfillment of my prayers as I pray and write to share with others what the Lord has used to encourage me. Many blessings to you ❤️

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  12. I'm so glad I found your post today. I loved the song you linked to and all the different versions of the verses from Matthew 11. I had never really thought about rest as worship but it makes sense- if we can hand things over to God and stop trying to fix everything for ourselves it shows we trust him. I loved the description of believe as saying, "I'm at the end of myself, therefore I am resting all of my weight here!"'

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    1. Cathy, thank you so much for stopping by...your kind words warm my heart...that's why I write--to share with others the encouragement I have found in Christ. Many blessings to you ❤️

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  13. "Rest is worship." It's taken me so long to learn that and I often need reminders. Thanks for sharing, Beth.

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    1. Kelly, I so appreciate you stopping by...many blessings to you ❤️

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  14. I heard this at Allume this past October. Oh, how it blessed me! Rest. IS. Worship! Amen! (Stopping over from #livefree.)

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    1. Yes! It was my first time at Allume...it was the phrase a small group leader mentioned and then was repeated by a large group speaker...it really resonated with me, too! So glad you stopped by! Many blessings to you ❤️

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  15. I love the artwork you share here! And I'm in love with Christ's words in Matthew. I pray I can get away this coming week, let go, rest in Him and give thanks.

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    1. Carrie, thank you for stopping by! Many blessings to you!

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  16. Thanks for sharing the story of the African missionary. I like the image of the messenger resting and trusting--believing--after delivering his message. A picture's worth . . .

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    1. Constance, I so agree with you...even the words of the story of the African missionary create a "picture" in our minds...it does "picture" the Truth of these present active participle verbs, they are so synonymous...resting, trusting, believing...if you are doing one, you are doing all. Many blessings to you!

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  17. Wonderful article. It's very useful. As a home tuition service provider, I really appreciate your post. Thanks for sharing this with us.
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    ReplyDelete

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