Rest 2!

Rest 2!

‭Psalms 4:8 AMP‬

[8] In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep,For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

As we saw from yesterday's devotion, God has already laid down the standard as to what is on offer. I can strive by my own labour and strength, but I am limited by my humanity. I can do all the work, applying myself diligently to whatever it is that I have been assigned, yet, there cannot be a standing guarantee that I will get what I want, when I want it, and how I want it. God did an amazing work of creation, yet, as God, He blessed a day, calling it a day of rest, and also sanctified it. That is the same foundation that drives today's devotion. If God knew and established a day of rest, it means it is His will and plan that we find time to rest. It is not given to man to work for the whole 24 hours of a day nonstop. It is quite inhumane not to build rest into your work schedule.

However, I note from the verse above that even when you have done all you need to do, there is the bit about God that you cannot ignore. How does a man lie down in peace if he does not have peace first in him? The inner man is actually the critical focus here, because you may not have power over the forces at work on the outside, but you can define what you will allow to settle on the inside of you. I can lay down structures that will help with outside calm, but if God is not involved, these structures will not help in any way. Men have state-of-the-art security systems yet they are afirad of the slightest noise. Men have huge account balances, yet seem never to be at rest, because there is a vacuum in their lives that money, wealth and riches cannot satisfy. Who pulls the strings of your heart at the moment? Whoever is in charge will determine how and if you rest well. 

I also note that lying down and sleep are joined together in one sentence and as one package. Never underestimate the power of worry and anxiety, and their impact on a man's heart. There is no guarantee that a very  expensive bed will give you good sleep. The grace to even lie down in peace shows the absence of any danger. It means that God has taken care of whatever wants to keep me up, and He has enabled me to switch off and take a break. It is also very healthy to the body to find and take rest as much as it can, because it is also God's way of maintaining our mental, physical and even spiritual well-being. Do all the work that God needs you to get done. Do it well, and in line with His will, and then also find the time to rest, which is also in line with His will and word. When God keeps you, nothing can keep you from the full expression of His grace. Would you seek Him out today? God's time of favour is here.