Turn Off the Radio - 5

Intro:
There is nothing quite like a warm fire and a good book. To be able to sit and read in that kind of environment is rare and often has to be planned.

There is nothing quite like a mountain pass that few get to because cars are not allowed. To be able to stand and enjoy a meadow and lake with surrounding mountains is rare and has to be planned.

Maybe you have a place you can go where things are still and quiet. My experience is that it requires planning.

During my college and seminary years, I enjoyed several backpack trips to the Sierra Nevada mountains in California and got to sign the US Geo Survey book at the top of the highest peak in CA. That was a rush at 14,000 feet. But really, the most serene place was at Kearsarge Lake at 10,000 feet (see picture above).

The lake setting is incredible. There are no radios, no cars, no noise makers and few people. There aren’t even that many birds. It is a quiet setting were one can be still and listen to God in creation. A true blessing.

Here in Psalm 23 we see that God is actively working to create “quiet places” for us to be in. Ask Him to do that for you as you read these familiar words today.

Read: Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Think:
Look at the verbs (action words) that God does on behalf of David. God makes David lie down (v.2), leads him to quiet places (v.2), restores his soul (v.3), guides him (v.3), prepares a table for him (v.5), and anoints his head with oil (v.6). You are amazing God!

David was not having a good time when he wrote this. There was much to be concerned about in the kingdom. He had good reason to fear and worry. There was great temptation to take things in his own hands or to run for it.

What do you do when you worry? We are so conditioned by our psychological age that we seem to have only 2 responses to difficulty: fight or flight. Have you even considered that there might be a third option? Have you ever thought that both fight and flight require actions on my part. Look at the verbs above again. God is doing a lot of stuff as well. Maybe fight and flight aren’t the only options, maybe there is freeze. Stand still and seek the Lord. Stand still and let Him work.

The God of David took care of his needs in such a way that he learned to trust Him and to wait on Him … to freeze. Next time you have a problem at work or at home or in the neighborhood or church maybe it would be good to stop and pray (freeze) before you act. Maybe God will take care of you first and then take care of the issue. Something to think about.

Do:
Do you tend to action when you need to wait? I often do. Is there something here that God is speaking to you about? Would you bring your sorrows and cares to him this hour? Will you join me in trying to freeze and let God do something?

I hope you took some time off from the radio and other inputs this week. If so, how’d that go? Share a post with us and let us know how that went.

Have a God-revealing weekend.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

10 Commands: Work 6 but Rest

Intro:
Most of us live for the weekend. It is ingrained in us from school. There is nothing like coming home on a Friday after class and playing without the responsibility of homework.

As we get older, we learn that work is still not that much fun and so we continue the pattern of living for the weekend. Everybody’s working for the weekend. We even have a restaurant dedicated to our celebration of the weekend: TGiF.

In the OT the folks did not work 5 days. They did not live by alarm clocks. They knew nothing of 9-5. They worked 6 days, got up with the sun and quit when it was dark. If they lived for anything they lived for a day to rest.

Read: Deuteronomy 5:6-15
6 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
7 "You shall have no other gods before [a] me.
8 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
12 "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
New International Version

Think:
I am not qualified to talk about the Sabbath. I am not sure I fully understand it. What is clear is the following:
*Work 6 days
*Work as hard as you want – wear yourself out
*Set apart one day as a day of rest
*The Sabbath rest is based on pattern and principle. The pattern is that God rested. He wasn’t tired! He rested and reflected on his labor. The principle is that he can do more with your 6 days of labor than you can with all 7 on your own! We can trust the Lord with the outcome of our labor.
*This day of rest set apart the Jews from the rest of the world – that is the gist of verse 15. God had proven he could take care of them. If they trusted him he would take care of them and they would rest.
*There has to be health benefits to this. The stress is killing us! Rest might do us good.

Do:
How well do you rest? Do you set aside 1 whole day where you will not advance your career or money making opportunities? Do you trust God that he can do more with your 6 days than you can with all 7? Do you believe that God can make you the top performer in your company by working less? Are you willing to PLAN your week so you can rest?

This is the reason DevoLink is written 6 days only. I want a rest from the writing. I want the opportunity to be with my family on Saturday night.

This day of rest does not exclude us from showing mercy toward others. This is not “No work” day! This is a day to not advance our interests in money making adventures. This is a day to trust the Lord. This is a day to reflect on God’s word. This is a day to rest and reflect. This is a day to recreate yourself.

Go throw a frisbee. Go help a friend move. Go and enjoy the lake, ocean, mountain, whatever. Go and enjoy God’s creation. Go play softball. Do all these things but make sure you rest your stress. Relax. Reflect. It will do you good and allow God freedom to show himself to you!

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.