Resting in Quietness

Isaiah 30:15~This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. 

REST. I can almost hear my spirit exhale when I say that word. Battle wounded and weary for four long years, this word has been the cry of my heart for so long. When we break this verse apart and dig, it holds innumerable treasures for all of us. Certain words I underlined in this verse:

• Repentance- a turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and a turning back to God. In a more general sense, repentance means a change of mind or a feeling of remorse or regret for past conduct. (Nelson's Bible Dictionary).

How often have I been disobedient and rebellious when the Lord has called me to rest? Piling on more projects and more things on my to do list than humanly possible to do. Turning around to see things either half accomplished or not at all. All the while, pulling me further from Him...so far away from Him........Like the gentle Shepherd that He is, He is calling me back....to turn back.....

• Rest- Cessation of work, exertion or activity. Peace, ease or refreshment resulting from sleep or cessation of an activity. Mental or emotional tranquility. (the free dictionary)

So many things to do, Lord. What is of me and what is of you? What do I put down Lord? Where do I go? Emotional tranquility sounds nice. The response?

 Put down the constant worrying. It's not so much what I need to do or put down, as much as it is to stop worrying about getting it done. Linger in His presence a little longer.......let Him give me the strength to go about the day. Let Him order my steps. But first......linger...........

• Quietness- marked by little or no motion or activity. enjoyed in peace and relaxation. free from noise or uproar. (quiet, as defined by merriam webster)

It goes back to rest again, doesn't it? Peace and relaxation. Little or no motion or activity. Mary instead of Martha--(Luke 10:38-42). My oldest son asked me to please rest after I finished what I was doing today. The wise 14 year old sees his mama ragged and tired. One of the blessings of homeschooling is the relationships that you develop with your children. Every time the song, "Worn" by Tenth Avenue North comes on they yell, "Hey mom! There's your song!" (I am posting the song at the bottom of this post). Not a great way to be remembered, huh?

• Trust- assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. one in which confidence is placed. (merriam-webster dictionary)

The Bible is FULL of stories of the faithfulness and character of God. Even when the Israelites disobeyed. Even when they rebelled. Even when they did what was wrong-God was trustworthy. He fed them in the wilderness. He protected them from their enemies. He sent Jesus to save us.........Brings me to something I find myself praying often. In Mark, chapter 9, we see a dad with his son. He brought him to the disciples to be healed but they couldn't do it. So-he took him to Jesus. Jesus says to him-"If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." The dad immediately cries out, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" How many times do I find myself believing, only to struggle with disbelief or questioning His timing and His ways? God has proven Himself trustworthy in my life even though I don't deserve it one bit. And here, in these verses, He shows me what to do when I struggle with it. Same with Peter. Jesus didn't leave him in the water--He reached down and pulled him up.

• Strength- the state, property, or quality of being strong. the power to resist attack. the power to resist strain or stress. (the free dictionary)

This is something that the Lord has really been working on with me. Sure, we all quote Philippians 4:13-I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. But have we really searched out other Scriptures that go with this? That tell us exactly who strengthens us, how He strengthens us and why He strengthens us? Last night, I wrote this blog post about that-my weakness, His strength. Doing this study with Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Studies came at a much needed time. That post was a culmination of all the stress I have been dealing with. Then, He brought back to mind this verse:

2 Corinthians 12:9~ And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (NKJV)

HIS strength. Not mine. Not yours. NO ONE'S. It is His alone. 

Isaiah 40:31~ But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (NKJV)

The last part of our Reflection Verse, really hit me. I swallowed real hard: "but you would have none of it." How many times has God tried to give us His rest? His peace? But we "would have none of it"? We continue on in our own strength, with our own agenda, then wonder where our peace went? Hmmm....the Bible also says that the Lord chastens and corrects those that He loves (see Proverbs 3:11-12). Let us turn to Him today. To seek the peace that passes all understanding. Let us repent--turn around; change our minds. Rest--solely in Him as we are weary and heavy laden. Trust--He is a loving God that has good plans for us. Finally, let us rely on His strength and not our own--and praise Him for it!

The song my sons always play for me: