This morning I overslept – that’s a strange statement for someone to make who is retired and has no appointments for the day but it’s true all the same.
I enjoy getting up in the quiet of the morning, having time to read, pray and then write. That generally means I wake up around 3 or 330 and start my day. This morning it was almost 430 before I got out of bed. Whoa.
As I was praying, I felt I really should be sharing on resting. There are so many things that pull on us every day that we fail to really rest. Then I opened my computer and went to BibleGateway to look up a few verses that came to mind. This was the verse on their home page:
“But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.” Isaiah 40:31 ERV
The two verses preceding this one read like this:
“He helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it. 30 Young men get tired and need to rest. Even young boys stumble and fall.” Isaiah 40:29-30 ERV
He helps tired people be strong. What an encouragement!
In another version, verse 31 says: “They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength”. Waiting on God will renew our strength. It will give us rest. Waiting on or trusting the Lord brings release from worry which brings rest. When we wait, we pause – we pause to get the Father’s plan and His direction.
Jesus was a prime example of this. He would minister all day and night and then he would send the disciples away or He would go to a place to pray – He would wait on the Father. After leaving these places of waiting, Jesus would go about ministering, rested and renewed.
“Jesus healed many of those who had different kinds of sicknesses. He also forced many demons out of people. But he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was. 35 The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. 36 Later, Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. 37 They found him and said, “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus answered, “We should go to another place. We can go to other towns around here, and I can tell God’s message to those people too. That is why I came.” Mark 1:34-38 ERV
Are you feeling tired today – worn out, exhausted? Take time to WAIT on the Lord. He will renew your strength!!