Rest - Part 1
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."Matthew 11:28
The Christmas season has always been difficult for me. I obviously know that
we as Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at this time of year, but I tend
to get overwhelmed by the busyness and materialism of the world around me.
Memories from the past bubble up to the surface of my awareness and I reflect on
the death of my parents and others who have been close to me. It becomes a time
of introspection for me as I review my past and present and consider how things
could have been different. For me, the time leading up to Christmas is a time of
unrest.
What are some of the causes of unrest?
- Busyness - We all tend to be too busy with overflowing schedules. Activities
at this time of year often add to the busyness. Most of the extra things are
"good" things, but are added to a calender that is already bursting at the
seams. Stephen Covey said , "The enemy of the best is the good." Wormwood, the
devil's helper, in C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters wrote, "If you
cannot make a man turn to evil, make him busy."
- Expectations/Discontent - We are constantly bombarded by advertising telling
us that we need new things to be happy or to keep up with our peers. We tend to
compare ourselves to others and the seeds of unrest creep in and sprout inside
of us. We have high expectations of life and feel disappointed when we fall
short. (......to be continued next post.)
News Briefs:
- Pray for Dr. Bert Oubre as he is traveling to Chad this month.
- Pray for upcoming trips to Sudan in Jan-March. Pray for peace in Sudan.
Politically Sudan is very unstable at this time.
Mike McMahon
"Our heart is restless until it rests in you." - St.
Augustine
Prayer Power
Lord help us to rest in your arms. We pray for peace in Sudan and other
countries where there is conflict. Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus.
Amen.