Good morning…
Through prayerful writing, yesterday I stumbled upon this concluding truth: “Faced with divine power beyond our understanding, we can resist or we can rest in God’s nourishing arms.” Rest and resist differ by just two little letters: “is.” How we choose to cope with what “is” makes all the difference to our spiritual growth.
“Is” relates to God’s self-assigned name. We pick up the LORD’s story in Exodus 3:13-15 (NLT): But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you. …This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.” I AM in Hebrew simultaneously means “I AM the one who is,” “I AM going to be what I will be,” and “I AM the one who brings into being.” I AM. God “is”, was, and will always be, all the time, everywhere, for all generations.
Facing what “is”, we either resist or we rest. When we resist the Great I AM, we battle what “is” with our own human power. When we trust the LORD to battle what “is” with us, we rest, truly rest, spiritually nourished. The Lord said, “I will go with you and give you peace,” Exodus 33:14 (CEV). Moment by moment, we all are given this intimate invitation from the Great I AM. Coping with what “is,” will we rest in God’s power or will we resist?
“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,” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG),
Sue
