R in Him
esting
(Part Five-Identifying with Jesus’ Love Series)
I
n His kindness, we have a haven.
He gathers us in His reassuring
arms, affirming we are protected
in Him. We can rest in Him.
He holds and helps us
through pains. He’s
not threatened by
our troubles. He’s
already overcome them. He welcomes us to rest in
Him. “Cease striving (let go, relax) and know that I
am God.” Psalm 46:10a NASV As we identify with
Jesus’ love, rest comes.
What is it that weighs on our shoulders, weighs on
our frame? What unresolved problems keep our mind
in over-drive, searching for a logical solution? Are we
desperate? We are. We analyze each angle of life. It’s
emotionally exhausting. Sometimes we are breathless.
Gasping. We learn to breathe easy, as we trust the One
who loves us. It’s His power working in us that enables
us to breathe easy. “God will continually revitalize
you, implanting within you the passion to do what
pleases him.” Philippians 2:13 TPT Who continually
revitalizes us? God! Who implants within us the
passion to do what pleases him? God! The pressure
is off us. It’s on Him. Author Watchman Nee, in his
book Sit Walk Stand, encourages us to sit and rest as
he articulates “…in the spiritual realm, to sit down is
simply to rest our whole weight—our load, ourselves,
our future, everything-upon the Lord. We let him bear
the responsibility and cease to carry it ourselves.” The
Lord designed it this way, or we crack and crumble.
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8
DOZ Magazine September 2018
Angela Steele
Pain-filled circumstances bang on the door of
my heart, threatening to rob me of hope and ability
to function. Clouded thoughts, heart palpitations, no
appetite, and sleepless nights perpetuate problems.
As we identify with Jesus’ love, we see Him already
drawing us with His kindness. He is with us. He is
here to stay. We journey together. He guides us. He
shepherds us.
“The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd.
I always have more than enough. He offers a resting
place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me
to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s
where he restores and revives my life. He opens before
me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along
in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring
honor to his name. Lord, even when your path takes
me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will
never conquer me, for you already have! You remain
close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your
authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort
of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely,
for you are near. You become my delicious feast even
when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with
the fragrance of your Holy Spirit, you give me all I can
drink of you until my heart overflows. So why would
I fear the future? For your goodness and love pursue
me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my
life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to
be forever with you! Psalm 23 TPT