Look to the Lord for Needed Rest 

Last weekend my mother-in-law visited an urgent care facility after suffering from leg pain and taking a fall. My wife went over to stay with her for a day or so to make sure her mother, who is generally active and not accustomed to sitting still, stayed off her feet and got some prescribed rest. Sometimes the Lord has to do something similar with us. The beloved 23^rd Psalm depicts it in terms of a shepherd taking care of his sheep. At one point, it says, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2). There are times when we need physical rest. If we don’t take those regular sabbaths of rest and refreshment ourselves, there may be times when the Lord allows circumstances to force us to do so. However, it is best if we cooperate with the Lord and willingly submit to and enjoy those times of “lying down in the green pastures.”

We are also often in need of a rest of a different kind – one having to do more with our minds, our emotions, and our mental state. Whether or not our bodies are actively moving, the wheels are constantly churning in our minds concerning certain matters we are dealing with. It may be the fallout from past events, worries over present dilemmas, or concerns about what might be coming up in the future. We have no rest because we are constantly thinking about those concerns, playing out all the possible scenarios in our imaginations, and letting the stress play on our emotions. We are wearing ourselves down mentally and emotionally, and that can end up affecting us physically as well.

It may have been more of that kind of rest Jesus was referring to and prescribing for us in another familiar scripture. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). I don’t believe Jesus was primarily calling out to people who were working hard and literally carrying around some heavy load from one place to another. He was inviting those who were loaded down with burdens in their hearts, minds, and souls to come to Him for relief. Some of that heaviness may have had to do with their spiritual condition and the weight of sin in their lives. He could certainly provide forgiveness, cleansing, and freedom from those types of burdens. But He may have also been referring to the rest we need from letting the cares, problems, and worries of this life weigh us down. We need help in dealing with those too.

The Bible tells us that we should be “casting all our care upon Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). That is what Jesus seemed to be advocating as well. It is not that we ignore those issues in our lives. It is not that we fail to make any plans or efforts to handle them. Nevertheless, the first and greatest thing we need to do is to hand them over to the Lord. We entrust the Lord with those matters rather than trying to take care of them ourselves. We have faith that He is in control of the situation and He will work it all out for good. We may still have things to do concerning those matters, but we do them under the Lord’s direction and in the ways He desires. Instead of worrying, we trust. Instead of running around in a panic trying to take care of it, we peacefully do what we can and leave the rest in God’s hands. Instead of constantly fretting, we prayerfully watch and wait on the Lord.

Let’s bring our burdens to the Lord today. He can give us the rest we need.   

 

Support Your Fellow Sojourners 

Recently my wife and I enjoyed a couple of days at a retreat sponsored by our church association. It took place at a state park in North Georgia known for its waterfall. For those who wish to attempt it, there is a wooden structure of steps and decks one can climb or descend to go from the top of the falls to the bottom, or vice versa. A sign warns that it is a strenuous activity involving several hundred steps. On a previous visit to the park several years ago, I took the challenge and traversed that route. However, this time I chose not to give it a try, but rather drove to a spot where a short path led to a good view of the falls.

Later at our group’s evening gathering, our guest speaker for this event informed us that he had made that journey. He talked about how everyone along that route supported and encouraged one another with such declarations as “it’s not much farther” or “you can make it”. He suggested that this is how we should be as the followers of Jesus and fellow members of His church.

As I thought about his observation, it seems that applying that truth to our lives may be even more challenging to many of us than climbing those hundreds of steps would be. Unfortunately, all too often we tend to be negative and critical toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of encouraging one another, we are more likely to find fault with each other. We tend to tear each other down rather than build each other up. That is not how it ought to be. Paul told the church in Thessalonica, “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another…” (I Thessalonians 5:11). Some translations use the word “encourage” instead of “comfort”. We should be cheering each other on as we take this journey together. We ought to be supporting our fellow travelers as they climb to greater heights in their relationship with the Lord, not discouraging them.

However, don’t misunderstand what I am saying. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a time for correction or exposing error. If someone is straying off from the right pathway, it is only right and loving to point it out to them. Some correction can be gentle, but other times it may need to be more severe. Likewise, if there are those along the route who are guiding people to go the wrong way, maybe encouraging them to go a direction that could lead to harm and destruction, it is our obligation to expose those deceptive and dangerous individuals for who they are.

However, when it comes to people who truly love Jesus and are trusting Him, people who are sincerely seeking to follow Him, we need to do all we can to be supportive of them, especially the weak and the weary. We are all on the same team. We are striving toward the same goal. We are all wanting to know Jesus better and to submit to His will for our lives. So let’s help each other get to the top of that hill instead of throwing roadblocks in one another’s way or constantly berating each other. We may not all look alike, worship in the same style, belong to the same local congregation, or share similar views on secondary matters. Nevertheless, we are all followers of Jesus. We believe in those essentials about who Jesus is and the meaning of His death and resurrection. We have been born of His Spirit. We are all sojourners seeking the Lord and traveling toward our heavenly home. Let’s help each other get there.  

Therefore, as fellow believers cross our paths today and in the days ahead, let’s look for ways we can encourage and support them.  

 

The Broken Are Not Beyond God’s Reach 

“It isn’t salvageable.” That was the verdict being handed down to me from my dentist about a cracked tooth. What had started out as a broken crown turned out to be a broken tooth. And it wasn’t a minor fracture which could be repaired. The crack was so severe and deep that the tooth could not be saved. I was subsequently sentenced to going to see an oral surgeon to schedule having an extraction procedure.

My dentist was right in his assessment of my tooth. It wasn’t salvageable. However, let’s be careful about the tendency to judge the souls of others, or even ourselves, as not being salvageable. One of the definitions of that word is “capable of being saved, rescued, or recovered from ruin, damage or destruction; it describes items, situations, or relationships that are still worth keeping, repairing, or restoring rather than discarding.” Who are we to pass judgment that someone is beyond the reach of a loving God and a great Savior? Certainly the salvation Jesus came to provide is available to everyone. No one is excluded. “Whosoever” may come to the Lord, put their trust in Him, and receive the gift of eternal life. The Bible does indicate that it is possible for someone so to harden his heart that he can’t be saved. Because of this person’s steadfast unwillingness, he can’t be brought to the point of repentance. However, we aren’t the ones to conclude when someone has degenerated to that point. We should always consider each person as salvageable.

The problem is that often we make quick assessments of individuals not based on the condition of their hearts but focused on more superficial factors, such as their appearance, their posts on social media, or a few random actions on their part which we witnessed. In some cases, we may overlook this person as being someone to share the gospel with, assuming that he or she would not be open to the message. We may even avoid the person due to our own apprehensions about being around the type of person we have concluded this individual must be. We don’t try to get to know the person, to see beyond those superficial factors, and to give him an opportunity to connect with us and eventually to connect with our Savior.

Broken people aren’t necessarily unable to be salvaged. We have all been broken because of sin. Some of us may have thought we had done such terrible things that we could never be forgiven. And yet Jesus salvaged us. Likewise, we are going to meet others who are still broken. However, let’s not quickly discard certain ones as incapable of being repaired. Not all cracked teeth are destined to be pulled. And not all broken people are irredeemable. All of us need to come to the point of realizing our brokenness before we seek the remedy in Jesus. And maybe some of those individuals we encounter who appear to be so broken are actually more aware of their need than others who seem to have it all together. That person who is so broken may be closer to and more ready to enter God’s kingdom than the moral person who isn’t aware of his or her need.

That previously-referenced definition of salvageable applies the concept to things that are still worth keeping. Some items may break and we readily discard them even if they could be fixed because we don’t consider them worthwhile to hang onto. Let’s remember that every human soul is valuable to God. Every broken person is worth keeping. Therefore let’s not give up on others or ourselves. Let’s see us all as being salvageable through the power of our Redeemer.

 

Hope for Those Experiencing a Loss 

Over this past week I have been involved in a couple of funerals – presiding over one and preparing for another. For some pastors with larger congregations, that might be a typical week or even less busy than usual. However, in my case as a pastor of a small church it is definitely more unusual. And these weren’t just any deaths that occurred. They weren’t individuals I hardly knew or a distant relative of a church member. These were beloved friends with whom I had enjoyed a longtime relationship. Additionally, their passing was somewhat sudden and unexpected.

As we deal with loss, grief, and death, our faith in the Lord is always a great help to us. But the message of comfort and hope comes through even clearer as we observe what we have come to refer to as Holy Week. I don’t know that there is ever a good time to face the passing away of a friend or loved one. However, this week leading up to Easter is full of reminders of why we as followers of Jesus can view the end of life differently than others do. We may still understandably experience a great measure of sadness, but at the same time we can possess a heartfelt joy.

First of all, there is the cross and the significance of Jesus’ death. Jesus died for a reason. He willingly gave His life in order to provide a way for lost sinners to find forgiveness and cleansing. He sacrificed Himself so that instead of perishing, we could enjoy eternal life. He died on that cross so that we could live in intimate fellowship with God both now and forever. So His death that we commemorated this past week gives us the assurance that if our loved ones who have passed away had put their trust in Jesus as their Savior, they are okay. Actually, they are more than okay – they are with the Lord and in a much better situation than those of us who have been left behind to continue on in this life for now. We can have peace in our hearts knowing that when believers leave this life, they are going to be with the Lord.

Secondly, the resurrection of Jesus confirms those truths. It is one thing to claim that Jesus is the Son of God. We can say that He was more than a man, that His death was meaningful, and that it paved the way for His followers to get to heaven. However, we have hard evidence to back it up. The empty tomb. Jesus’ resurrection showed that He was who He claimed to be. It revealed that He had won the victory over the grave and death. It not only affirmed the fact that Jesus was alive, but that we would continue to live and be resurrected one day too.

Easter isn’t just about the historical event of Jesus being raised from the dead. It also speaks to our futures and the status of those whose deaths we grieve. They may be gone from us but they are still alive, just as Jesus is. They may be absent from the body but they are present with the Lord. Bodies may be lowered into a grave, but one day when Jesus returns, those bodies will be changed and resurrected. We will have glorious, spiritual bodies similar to His own. Jesus is alive and reigning as Lord over all. And one day we will go to reign with Him forever and ever.

We all experience the loss of loved ones at times. Whether it is during this season or some other time of the year, let the truths of Jesus’ death and resurrection give you comfort, hope, and even joy on those occasions. He is risen!