Lessons from Egypt #2
If you were to close your eyes and picture the most beautiful view you’ve ever seen in nature what would it be?
When I close my eyes, a picture of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains comes to mind. I don’t think I ever could get tired of looking at them. With your picture in mind, what words would you use to describe what you’re seeing?
I believe that through creation God has given us divine reminders of one of His most necessary commandments - to rest.
To rest is an act of worship, deflecting our attention from ourselves to Him. To His glory, His magnificence, His completed work. Rest gives us an opportunity to take in what He’s done - for us, in us, through us.
When we look at these amazing things in creation; forest wilderness that stretches for hundreds of miles, mountains that soar above crystal clear lakes and streams, white-crested waves breaking on shores of rock and sand, the words we often use to describe these things are restful, serene, quiet, peaceful.
Our choice of words is apt, although we might not fully realize what we’re seeing take place.
We’re seeing obedience. Creation obeys God’s command to rest, serving as a reminder to us to stop, be still and know that He is God.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10
The importance of rest has never been so clear to me before as it was in Egypt.
Throughout the world, there are cultures and customs that vary widely from what we are used to and get comfortable with, no matter where we’re from or where we find ourselves.
Certain customs and ways of life can be pretty abrasive and shocking, and it can lead to feeling worn down and exhausted simply from being exposed to them.
It is so important for the body of Christ to obey His command to rest.
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” John 17:14-19
The realization that we are not of the world comes with a knowing that our culture is different. Just as other cultures will sometimes wear us down after awhile if we don’t take the time to rest, this world’s culture will do its best to beat us into the ground if we don’t take the time to fortify ourselves with rest.
So how do we do this?
While in Egypt the thing that worked for me was to get alone with God and spend time in worship.
Worship not just with music, although I spent plenty of time in this kind of worship, but at times just sitting and knowing. Being still and quiet, thinking about the goodness, the greatness, the wonder and awesomeness of God.
When we spend time in this frame of thought, we can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude, and thankfulness is such a vital part of rest.
We see in Romans 1:20-23 that unthankfulness is a gate that leads to destruction. If we can take this passage of scripture and turn it around, we see what an attitude of thankfulness does…
Seeing God’s invisible attributes clearly, we can understand His eternal power and Godhead…we can know who He is. So then knowing who He is, we glorify Him as God, and are thankful. Turning our hearts from darkness to light, our thoughts become fruitful instead of useless, and we go from being fools to becoming wise.
Spend time in gratitude and worship… in quietness… in rest.
Scripture for further meditation:
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:2-3
