Physically, Spontaneously, and Enjoyably Resting (Original Work)
Good Afternoon Sabbath...
Father thank You for this new day. Thank You for the air that fills our lungs. Thank You for giving us rest and rejuvenation. We ask forgiveness for our trespasses against You, and we ask for help forgiving others who have trespassed against us. Creat in us a clean heart Dear Father. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
Physically, Spontaneously, and Enjoyably Resting
“Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)
We can all easily agree that rest has a strong physical property to it. We have taken a look at the spiritual aspect of rest before and today I would like to take a little time to look at the physical aspect of rest.
In the verse above from Mark 6:31 we see Yeshua (Jesus) taking His disciples away for a spontaneous Sabbath. Our Savior, I think, knew the demands being placed on His Chosen were wearing them out not just spiritually, but physically. Yeshua (Jesus) was ensuring that the many demands being laid on them could be escaped for a while until they were rested, filled, and prepared to return to the life of service they had chosen. With that said, I believe it is important to think about rest today in the physical aspect, but I definitely don't want to confuse it with just doing nothing. Physical rest, while sometimes might be just relaxing and doing nothing, it also can merely be approaching an activity or day in a different and new way.
It is a proven Biblical, scientific, and medical fact that rest performed, as Biblically defined, has much medical value and cannot be ignored. What happens if we do not physically rest? That's right, we burn out. In the Biblical pattern of "a day," "morning and evening (Genesis 1:5)," and our weekly cycle, Our Father and Jesus built into Life a physical rest that was to be the normal, acceptable path to recovering our strength and spirit. It is a regular, repeating pattern, but that doesn't mean the activities we do are always the same.
Our Good God knew we all needed a change of pace sometimes. We have to reduce the busyness, stress, and anxiety created from the world we live in. Yeshua, Jesus Christ understood this better than anyone and sought not only to show His Disciples this, but also us... That's why it is in His Word. Rest shouldn't always be about just stopping everything and doing nothing, although sometimes this is needed as well, but rather doing things in a new way, at a completely different pace. This kind of rest is where we aren't governed by a clock, schedules, or any other anxiety invoking world tool, but rather by enjoyment. I still remember the first times I celebrated Sabbath with my church family. It was new, a change, and the rest I received there, because of Our Father and my Brothers and Sisters that shared His Love, was amazing! I left there each week filled with rest, and the hours upon hours we spent there went by in the blink of an eye. The True Blessing and Gift From God is that this still happens each time I visit. What do we do there? We physically rest and study our Bibles. It is restful and enjoyable.
A change of pace can be an amazing gift from God. I would suggest to anyone that every now and then you just have to "mix it up" a little. Maybe it is having a bite to eat at a restaurant when normally you cook each night or maybe it is having your coffee that you normally drink at home over at a Brother's house. Maybe it is a visit to the park, a picnic, or just a slow enjoyable stroll through nature. All of these examples probably mean a few miles of effort, but they may just make a big difference.
Changing up our regular routines and practices with a conscientious focus on rest can definitely restore us if we are feeling bogged down. I refer again back to the beginning verse... further down in Mark 6:31 the verse says "because so many people were coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat." No time to eat!... now that is busy. I bet all of us have worked so hard we missed eating before. Our Savior saw this with His Disciples, And Us, and knew it was time to rest. Maybe it is time for us to rest as well... and maybe it doesn't look like what we would normally think of as rest. Late breakfast instead of early breakfast, prayer at the river instead of in our rooms, a walk in the morning instead of the daily news, calling a Brother or Sister we know is struggling instead of our normally scheduled movie time, or maybe a quiet, restful Bible Study with other Brothers and Sisters . May we all this week try to be intentional and spontaneous about our rest. Who knows?... we may just enjoy it. I have a strong feeling the disciples had a restful blast with Jesus that day when they retreated for a Sabbath Rest, and I believe Our Father gives us the opportunity to do the same.
If we do intentionally try this spontaneous rest it can rejuvenate our spirits, minds, and Purpose In Christ. The purpose and reason for this spontaneous rest is to save you, not the world. It is the same reason Our Father made The Sabbath... for Time With Him, rest, and rejuvenation. I pray you accept His Rest today. Besides, doesn't a healthy, well rested, and rejuvenated you, give us as believers, the ability, energy, and Fire of God to better help this quickly falling world we are trying to help save? Remember, we can't show The Light of Yeshua, Jesus Christ if we are too tired to speak the gospel or serve our neighbors. Let's pray on this...
Dear Father, You Are So Wise and Intelligent. You know us better than anyone, and you knew we needed rest from the beginning. Thank you for giving us Your Sabbath. Thank you for showing us in Your Word and Through Jesus Christ the lessons You teach us in Your Gospel about rest. Father, help us to realize our rest is In You. Lead us to something new and spontaneous where we can rest and enjoy the moment. We ask you to be there with us in this spontaneous rest and these enjoyable moments, because we know that With You, All Our Moments Are More Enjoyable. Thank You for Being a Kind, Loving, Merciful, and Teaching Father. We Love You So Much. We Thank You, We Praise You, We Bless You, and We Pray all these things in The Name Above All Names, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. Amen.
“Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.””
Luke 7:36-50 NKJV
Credit: God (YAHWEH), God's Word (Jesus Christ), and Servant of Yeshua 7
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Praise Yahweh and Yeshua!!!