Rest

 In Psalm 116 there is a verse, "Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."  This parallels the words of Jesus in Matthew 11, "Come to me all you who are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." 

Our soul, of course, is the center of our thoughts, feelings, and choices.  The Word renews our mind with His thoughts, which are infinitely higher than our thoughts.  Our feelings are refocused by considering His heart and what is dear to Him.  Finally, our choices means laying down our fleshly desires and settling it that we are living to please Him.  There is a rest once we have settled it and our heart is fixed or established, that we "delight to do Your will, O God."  Naturally, the Holy Spirit waits for us to call on Him to help us experience this peace He gives in mind, emotions, and will.  1 Thess 5:23-24 summarizes this beautifully. Now may the God of peace Himself sancitfy you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ   He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.   

Jehovah Shalom, the Lord is our peace or rest, means more than the absence of turmoil.  Shalom describes a total wholeness, well-being, peace in all facets of inner being.  Jesus says in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, ...let not your hearts be troubled."   The foundation of the New covenant is "It is finshed."  God has done for us what no man could do, making us righteous - right with God,  We can look at this two ways, right or correct with God, and secondly, right with God as sitting beside Him.  When we are right with God, there is no fear or anxiety.  We can afford to rest. 

Hebrews 4 assures us of God's promise to enter the rest and "we who have believed do enter that rest."  There is even an almost contradictory command, "Strive to enter the rest."  So today, our prayer is that we ask and let the Holy Spirit restore us with His rest, in body, soul, and spirit, because of Who and What the Lord has done.  He has dealt bountifuly with us.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, You are worthy to be praised!

Today many in the Body of Christ are calling for fasting and prayer to deliver us (the church) from lukewarmness, so I am asking for the Lord to set me and those who I know from being complacent, rather than diligent is seeking and obeying Him.  We rest in being yielded to Him.