Resting is not something that comes very naturally to me. I am a mover and doer, to a fault at times. The first two months of this year were a prime example. My House went under contract, I went to the Middle East and Europe to minister and visit friends. I returned with pneumonia and had two and a half weeks to move out of my house of 19 years.
This week I am attending a “Father Heart- A School,”* At this school I have lots of time to soak in the truth of the word of God in a way that is full of grace and rest. I am literally lying on a mat on the ground resting much of the day. I can hear the teaching, but from the beginning I sensed Abba telling me He is holding my heart, and my responsibility now is to unwind from the whirlwind I have pushed through.
Before this week I was wound so tight from too much activity that I looked more like a hungry pacing lion, not really even able to lie down.
So what’s the difference from one week to the next?
A large part is permission. I have given myself permission to rest and recuperate. Granted one of my largest hurdles is behind me, but with it comes an opportunity to rest. I have most of my deadlines and work cleared for the week. I planned this get away.
It is also the grace of the way the “school” is presented. They too give permission to rest. Registration confirmation even comes suggesting you bring a pillow and a mat!
Another reason I am able to rest is I know I really need it. For the first three days my body vibrated. Last night I felt for the fist time in a while like my body was at peace and I was not pushing to get through yet another deadline.
I am not just renewing my mind with the truths of the love of Father God, or Abba, as I like to call him, but my heart is experiencing a new level of rest through grace.
Most importantly I am experiencing grace and love from the Father Heart of God at a deeper level each day. It is repositioning me to continually receive eternal love so that I can share God’s love with others more freely.
One of the great things I have learned this week is that the word adoption in the English Bibles we read does not actually mean adoption as we know it. It means son placement.
What’s that you ask? Well, the key difference is unlike adoption, we never really belonged to anyone but God the Father, our Abba. Adam and Eve stepped out-of-place, but Jesus paid the price to put us back in our proper place of belonging in the Kingdom of God!
I am exhausted but I still have a lion heart for the love and work of the Kingdom. I will be back up refreshed and on the move with the passion of Aslan soon.* But my prayer and expectation is it will be orchestrated from a much deeper place of rest, and not primarily chasing deadlines.
*From The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
