Sitting At The Feet of Jesus

He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31

I don’t know about you, but someone telling me to rest awhile is not a very common thing. Some of you may remember the days when you had an audience of little people while in the bathroom. And that’s where I’m at right now. Rest is the last thing that is willingly offered to me. When I sit briefly to watch a Thomas the Train movie with my "recently turned" 3 year old – if my eyes even begin to close slightly I hear loudly in my ear, ‘Mommy – no close eyes!” Then he begins to pry them open with his little fingers.

Even when he naps --- I still don’t have enough time to take a quick nap myself. I have two other children to tend too. I can’t afford a getaway, just me and my spouse. It’s very easy to feel that I am always stressed out and in a rush.

I fill my life with MANY good things. I believe that most women fill their lives with many good things. Listen to this list:

Working outside the home, serving on committees, being a friend, serving in a civic organization, mentoring, being a wife, mom, attending events, working with teenagers, teaching Sunday School, volunteering, joining clubs, hosting parties. And that’s a drop in the bucket.

I was at a Women’s Ministry Conference and all of the ladies in attendance were involved heavily at their local churches or in ministry like me and our speaker said something on that stage I will never forget. She said, “Ladies, you can not do 1000 things for the glory of God. Discern a few, and do them well.” Boy, that hit home. I don’t need to do all things, only a few.

The truth is, our stress level increases with our effort to do more and be more. With an increased drive to “get it all done,” we’re paying a high price. And we actually reduce our ability to accomplish tasks efficiently. It gets increasingly difficult to make decisions and takes longer to complete even simple tasks. We get forgetful and easily distracted, along with becoming just plain worn out!

It takes tremendous faith, discipline and persistence to manage our time and MAKE time to rest. Again, Mark 6:31 Jesus said, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Jesus – giving us permission to find a quiet place with him and rest. I regret that I don't always live out this principle. I often feel guilty if I just stop "doing" and slow down! Because – I don’t know about you, but the world will stop spinning if I take a breather!!! So, I’ve got to keep trucking or else the whole world’s in a mess!!

But today - with an insane January schedule before me - I need to remind myself to slow down the pace. It's times when life is so hectic that we should have no other choice, then to take time and rest at His feet first.

And three reasons come to mind as to why I need HIS rest so desperately!

1) I want stability. Psalm 91:1 “ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty.”

2) I want to rest in God’s peace instead of living in turmoil. Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

3)I want others to see Jesus in my life. Matthew 5:16 Let you light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your good deeds, and praise your Father who is in heaven.”

Thanks God! I needed this today:)