Exodus 33:14 - God's Presence and Rest.
Exodus 33:14 (NIV) The LORD replied, My
Presence will go with you, and I will give you
rest.
COMMENTARY PEARLS
Lately I have been having some sleeping
issues. I keep waking up during the wee morning
hours, long before I need to get up for work. My
mind starts racing. I worry. I problem-solve. I
toss and turn. And finally, exhausted, I get up.
The other morning, I woke up at four oclock,
hearing the garbage truck rumbling down our street.
Realizing we had forgotten to take out the recycling,
I climbed out of bed, pulling on the first
pair of shoes I could find. I headed out the door
and grabbed the giant recycling can. Tiptoeing
down our path to the street, I misjudged my
footing, and rolled my ankle. Badly. One second, I
was taking out the garbage the next I was
lying in our wood chips and lavender, gazing up at
the stars. I thought, I should have stayed in
bed. I should have.
Rest can be an elusive thing. The stress
of family dynamics can keep us up at night.
Financial difficulties and pressures at work can rob
us of our peace. But when we let our worries
overtake us, it rarely ends well. We end up exhausted
sometimes laid out in the lavender bush. We
need rest in order to function and to heal. In
those anxious moments, when we cant seem to
find peace of mind or rest in body, we can turn
to Jesus. When we give Him our worries, we can
find rest. Jesus is with us. He cares for us
body, mind, and spirit. He makes us lie down in
green pastures. He leads us beside still waters.
He restores our souls. by Susanna Foth Aughtmon
Faith Step: Take a moment to close your
eyes, knowing Jesus is there with you. Share your
worries with Him. Know that He will take care of
them and restore your soul. [Mornings With Jesus
2020 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
I soak in the sun as two seagulls squawk
at each other, fighting over bread on the
sand.
I lift my head from the blanket, a
motherly instinct. But these two are not mine. There
is no squabble between two brothers to referee.
My two sons are back in New York City as I
visit my parents in Florida, a rare time away from
my parenting duties.
I lie back down, squinting at the sun,
then close my eyes. I listen to the waves
crashing gently on the shore, and feel the heat of
the sun and the cool breeze of the wind on my
skin.
My hands press down into the sand,
feeling its powdery texture on my fingertips. In
some faraway land, I am a woman busied by
responsibilities, someone preoccupied with worry and a to-do
list that never seems to end. I am here, there,
and everywhere with children in tow, traveling
in cars, buses, and trains. I'm the one who
makes meals and beds and sometimes peace when her
children squawk like seagulls fighting over bread on
the sand.
But here I am none of those things. By
the sea, I'm reminded that I just am.
Lord, I am so many things to so many
people. Thank You for those moments when I can
simply just be. Karen Valentin [Walking in Grace
2021 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
The yoke is placed upon the oxen to aid
them in drawing the load, to lighten the burden.
So with the yoke of Christ. When our will is
swallowed up in the will of God, and we use His gifts
to bless others, we shall find life's burden
light. He who walks in the way of God's
commandments is walking in company with Christ, and in
His love the heart is at rest. When Moses
prayed, "Show me now Thy way, that I may know Thee,"
the Lord answered him, "My presence shall go
with thee, and I will give thee rest." And
through the prophets the message was given, "Thus
saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and
ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
your souls." Ex. 33:13, 14; Jer. 6:16. And He
says, "O that thou hadst hearkened to My
commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of the sea." Isa. 48:18.
Those who take Christ at His word, and
surrender their souls to His keeping, their lives to
His ordering, will find peace and quietude.
Nothing of the world can make them sad when Jesus
makes them glad by His presence. In perfect
acquiescence there is perfect rest. The Lord says, "Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." Isa.
26:3. Our lives may seem a tangle; but as we
commit ourselves to the wise Master Worker, He will
bring out the pattern of life and character that
will be to His own glory. And that character
which expresses the glory - character - of Christ
will be received into the Paradise of God. A
renovated race shall walk with Him in white, for they
are worthy.
As through Jesus we enter into rest,
heaven begins here. We respond to His invitation,
Come, learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the
life eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching
to God through Christ. The longer we are in the
heaven of bliss, the more and still more of glory
will be opened to us; and the more we know of
God, the more intense will be our happiness. As
we walk with Jesus in this life, we may be
filled with His love, satisfied with His presence.
All that human nature can bear, we may receive
here. But what is this compared with the
hereafter? There "are they before the throne of God,
and serve Him day and night in His temple: and
He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among
them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst
any more; neither shall the sun light on them,
nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst
of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead
them unto living fountains of waters: and God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev.
7:15-17. {DA 331}
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Come to Me with your defenses down, ready
to be blessed and filled with My Presence.
Relax, and feel the relief of being totally open
and authentic with Me. You have nothing to hide
and nothing to disclose, because I know
everything about you already. You can have no other
relationship like this one. Take time to savor its
richness, basking in My golden Light.
One of the worst consequences of the Fall
is the elaborate barriers people erect between
themselves and others. Facades abound in the world,
even in My Body, the church. Sometimes, church is
the last place where people feel free to be
themselves. They cover up with Sunday clothes and Sunday
smiles. They feel relief when they leave because of
the strain of false fellowship. The best
antidote to this artificial atmosphere is practicing
My Presence at church. Let your primary focus
be communing with Me, worshiping Me, glorifying
Me. Then you will be able to smile at others
with My Joy and love them with My Love. (1Jo.
1:5-7; Exo. 33:14; Phi. 4:8) [Jesus Calling by
Sarah Young]
Walk peacefully with Me through this day.
You are wondering how you will cope with all
that is expected of you. You must traverse this
day like any other: one step at a time. Instead
of mentally rehearsing how you will do this or
that, keep your mind on My Presence and on taking
the next step. The more demanding your day, the
more help you can expect from Me. This is a
training opportunity, since I designed you for deep
dependence on your Shepherd-King. Challenging times
wake you up and amplify your awareness of needing
My help.
When you don't know what to do, wait
while I open the way before you. Trust that I know
what I'm doing, and be ready to follow My lead. I
will give strength to you, and I will bless you
with Peace. (Exo. 33:14; Deu. 33:25; Heb, 13:20,
21; Psa. 29:11) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Exodus 33:14 - God's Presence And Rest.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220308-1107.html
Psalm 23:2 - Green Pastures and Still Waters
from the Lord.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210129-1030.html
Colossians 3:15 - Let the Peace of God Rule
in Your Hearts.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230130-0851.html
Philippians 4:6-8 - Cure For Anxiety And
Worry.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220624-0817.html
1 Peter 5:7 - Shifting the Burden.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220715-0813.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
