A large, noisy machine gives life to my 21 year old son, every minute of every day. Josh is in Hospice Care and he is utterly dependent on an Oxygen Concentrator that delivers 8 liters of 02 to his lungs 24/7. Josh lives a tethered life.
For all the power found in that expensive machine, it’s useless without a $5, 50-foot length of green tubing and a $.50 adapter. Useless.
In our early days of Josh’s Hospice Care (and scared out of our minds) we had a number of little crises that taught us the value of the tether. Josh’s life depends on it.
Kind of like God.
Kind of like rest.
We live and serve and are sustained by the infinite, Almighty God. In Him we have all we need and more, but there has to be a delivery system. There are multiple delivery systems, but the one that tethers me most fully to the best of what God has for me is the time I set aside to rest.
Rest is a mysterious thing to me, especially Sabbath rest. As a type A, work-horse human being, rest does not make logical sense to me. Even after years of being committed, I still do not understand the “how” behind it, except that it changes me. Re-creates me. Refuels me. Connects me to God through a means not of my own doing. It is a mystery, a beautiful mystery, a mystery I’ve come to love.
God’s Sabbath command is remarkably simple. Halt. Stop. Cease.
Plenty of people do that these days, but their halting is limited to mindless entertainment and addictive amusements. There is nothing wrong, in moderation, of choosing to relax and unwind through the entertainment we find in TV, movies, cell phones and social media. It just can’t be the whole shebang.
What is a rest that truly restores?
It’s a rest done with intent and a mindfulness that I am participating in what God deems holy (Genesis 2:3). It is fully anchored in the towering Rock that never fails (Psalm 61:2).
Rest is a matter of the heart.
Mine.
And His.
It’s a tether I will never live without.
First time here?
Welcome! We’re a group that gathers around the theme, “There has to be a better way.” We’re finding it in the 4-word mission statement, “Run hard. Rest well.”
- It’s a journey into the heart of God. It comes our way through an on-going exploration of four biblical rhythms that revive, replenish and restore: Sabbath Keeping, Sleep (and other simple stress-reducers), Stillness—personal retreat, and Solitude—personal retreat.
- It’s an expedition that challenges us at every turn. It convicts us in deep, tender places. It alters our priorities and plans. It’s not for the faint of heart.
- It’s adventure at its best – as we learn to run the race in a power not our own.
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