To Rest or to Flee

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2028-30&version=NIV

Today we look at one of my favorite passages in God's word - Isaiah 15:18-20. I think it's one of my favorite because I see it's truth in my life all of the time. It has both the power to settle my heart and make me rest, and the power to convict me in a way that sometimes pierces me. Let's look at how it begins:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength".

So many times God uses that verse to gently call to me - to remind me that he is fighting my battles and has everything well in hand. He reminds me that I don't have to work so hard sometimes I tend to try to work out my own salvation - the tendency for my flesh wanting to prove that I am good. The results are I end up spiritually exhausted. God says to me, "Carol, be still, just repent and rest" and with a sigh I lean into his arms and let him carry me.

Other times, probably more often if I am being truthful, he uses the verse to convict me. Too often I'm trying to play God in my circumstances. Instead of living out the beginning of verse fifteen, I choose the second part which reads, "but you would have none of it". I proceed live in the craziness of trying to fight my own battles, trying to fight against God's plan and timing, trying to be wise unto myself instead of searching for God's wisdom. That to is exhausting and generally ends with me looking foolish before God - if not others.

Oh yes, there are a thousand ways that I reject God's rest and strength and try to do life through my own. I'm doing it less often these days though, because I've experienced the rest, the quietness, the trust, and rather like the way it feels. These days I'm asking God to remind me of the truth in vs. 18:

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for him."

If I accept that, allow it to settle in my heart, and live like I believe it, the repentance, rest, quietness and trust arrive much more quickly and stay a lot longer. I spend less time fleeing or chasing my own tail - and that equals a lot more time to love, serve, and worship. But better than that, it equals God's plan and his glory being played out in my life. From the small glimpses I've had of his plan and glory, I desperately want to learn to wait for it because it is so good and so beautiful - it is perfection in a way I can't design myself.

I pray that you and I both choose daily take a deep breathe, repent, rest, be quiet and trust on our gracious and compassionate Lord. For truly, there is immense blessing for those who wait for him, both in the waiting and when he accomplished that on which we are waiting. Rest in Him - it's a very, very good thing - even better than a Sunday afternoon nap! Be blessed!