"I Will Give You Rest..."

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)

Is there anything better in life than watching a sleeping child?

One of my favorite things to do as a young parent was to rock my kids to sleep. Not only did you have the sense of accomplishment, but there was just something about watching that little bundle just snooze away. There's such a peace about their faces, and the quiet of the room just envelopes you. It's such an intimate time just between the two of you. My kids are getting older, but I still, from time to time, steal a glance at them while they're out at night. There's just such a simple beauty in seeing them rest peacefully.

I think God loves to watch us rest for the same reason. He knows how busy we keep ourselves, filling every possible moment with activities or work. He knows how worn out and frazzled we become trying to be everything to everyone all the time. He knows that this pace will overwhelm even the best of us over time, so like a good father He just waits for us until we wear completely out and finally climb up in His arms to be rocked to rest. He loves that time because it's just you and Him, nothing else pulling or pushing for your attention...just the two of you together.

I know it's hard to find that time in our daily schedules. We have to make time for it. We should never be too busy for Him, because He's never too busy for us. Not only do we need to rest physically, but spiritually and emotionally, too. Life can be pretty hard at times, and we all need a chance to re-charge our batteries.

Here's hoping you take some time to rest in His mighty arms today.