And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” - Exodus 33:14
Proponents of getting enough rest will never find argument with me. By nature. I’m an early riser. If I sleep past 6 AM it’s probably because I didn’t get to bed before midnight. “Early to bed; early to rise,” accurately describes my sleeping habits. There are obviously some very positive health effects from getting enough rest including the base concepts of healing the body and mental rejuvenation. But the spiritual benefits of getting enough rest far outweigh the physical benefits. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
“I’ve got to get some rest,” is perhaps the truest statement ever issued from the mouth of man. Rest is invigorating, restorative and strengthening. It opens our awareness and channels our wisdom. Rest allows us to meet the task at hand or to return to that task with renewed determination. It allows us to muster our spiritual strengths to meet the enemy in a pitched battle and prevail. Rest heals us and mends us both physically and spiritually. It restores us and allows us to reload and rearm ourselves for spiritual warfare. Rest is food for the soul, refocuses our perspectives and clarifies the muddy waters of indecision. And rest like this is a blessing from the Lord. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29.
As human beings, we are engaged in a war of attrition with the world. Its taxing and deleterious effects create an oppressive atmosphere that none of us can withstand without the strength of the Holy Spirit. One need only pick up a newspaper or watch the nightly news to see the sundry and devastating consequences of the world on the human condition. “And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’” - Mark 7:20-23.
We have never had the inner strength to battle the wiles of the world, the flesh, and the devil on our own. Such strength is not in our genetic or spiritual makeup. There is one source for such strength and one source only. - our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4:13.
Surely, the weight of the world is easily enough to crush us like so many insignificant insects. Yet with the Spirit of Christ working within us, our armor becomes impregnable. We become not only invulnerable but invincible when in the Spirit of the Lord. This is what Jesus promises us when He says “Come to me . . .”
That we rest in Christ is a spiritual weapon without equal. Neither the world, nor the flesh, nor the devil have anything to compare. With Christ, the promise declares - “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33.
This is the blessing of resting in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
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