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Rest for Life’s Journey (part 2)

Matthew 11:28
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

In this column I move forward on the second part of looking at ‘Rest for Life’. Here we focus on Jesus and His invitation for people to come to Him for rest. This rest is in the heart and mind and spirit and is felt in our flesh. We feel peace and rest in Him. This is glorious.

When we have Jesus in our lives we should have His rest. We should live a life of rest even in a world of turmoil and insecurity.

Jesus offers this rest for all who come to Him. Should you need this rest then repent and welcome Jesus as your Savior and Lord now. You can begin to live knowing that miracle of rest is in you. Glory

Your confidence is in Jesus! There is no need to fear or be afraid. Your sins have now in Him been washed away by His Holy Blood. You are clean and your name is in the Book of Life in heaven.

Your trust is not in yourself but in Jesus.

There is a second rest that Jesus gives:

Mark 6:31-32
And He (Jesus) said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Very often even the most devout follower of Jesus faces exhaustion. Pastors and church workers are often so busy that they have little time to pray or study or relax or rest and in time they face burnout. They lose the love and joy of life in following Jesus and just become mired in ‘religion’.

I have used a simple way to know when I am getting to fatigued and need rest. When I see someone coming to me and I know they want to talk and I do not want to talk or try to cut the conversion off early. Then I know I must rest and become refreshed. I take off a day or so wherever I am. Then I walk out eager to talk and be with people. I do it! I can do more fresh in one day than I can do in a week or month when I’m weary. I want the sparkle in my eye and the joy in my step as I minister Jesus and live with Him.

Get away! Rest your mind. Eat, work out, get your body in shape. Feel the real. Let the wind blow in your face and get that smile back.

Look now at the word ‘rest’.

anapauo ^373^ signifies “to cause or permit one to cease from any labor or movement” so as to recover strength. It implies previous toil and care. Its chief significance is that of taking, or causing to take, rest; it is used in the middle voice in ,
B. Noun.
anesis ^425^ denotes “a letting loose, relaxation, easing”; it is connected with aniemi, “to loosen, relax” (ana, “back,” and hiemi, “to send”). It signifies “rest,” not from toil, but from endurance and suffering. Thus it is said (a) of a “less vigorous” condition in imprisonment, , “indulgence,” KlV, “liberty”; (b) “relief” from anxiety, <2 Cor. 2:13; 7:5>, “relief” (KJV, “rest”), (c) “relief” from persecutions, <2 Thes. 1:7>, “rest”; (d) of “relief”
(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
(Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Get in spiritual shape. Have a rest and get ready for the journey. Glory

Now live in that ‘rest’.

Jesus will give you refreshment and rest. Come to Him.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt

Luke 18:1