Provided Rest

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, HCSB)

“Come to Me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, ERV)

“Come to Me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, ICB)

Sometimes, life can be exhausting. Weariness can come out of nowhere, and we simply need to slow down and rest. God is faithful to provide opportunities, if only we look to Him. After the great blessing of being able to go on vacation, we were exhausted from our return trip home. Our day had begun in its typical early fashion, followed by a day filled with preparing to head home, wandering around to pass the time prior to departure, and then the long journey home. Our first flight took off in the late afternoon, followed by a nearly two-hour layover, and then onto our red-eye flight home. No measurable sleep was had on the flight, and we arrived home to discover two puppies who were desperate for our attention. Though there was an attempt to nap after feeding and spending time with the pups, there was no sleep to be had for me. The day continued with the typical back home busy, and there was no thought nor opportunity for sleep until bedtime. Fast-forward to this morning, and I had slept nearly nine hours through the night! When I woke, I felt rested and refreshed, and ready for all that the day holds. God is good, and He is faithful to provide rest as we seek and listen to Him.

When tired, weary,

Or simply worn out;

God provides us rest,

Love’s what He’s about.

With goodness and grace,

The Lord makes a way;

Strength and endurance,

He supplies each day.

Blessings abundant,

Even when plans change;

His love apparent,

As it shall remain.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us and provide rest when we are weary. Thank You that even when rest comes in unconventional ways, You have a plan to bless, rest and refresh us. Forgive us for our frustrations when things don’t go as we might have anticipated. Teach us to trust that You have all in Your hands, and You love us more than we could hope or imagine. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your love that supplies the strength and rest we need to navigate our days well. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

The Lord God is our Protector and glorious King. He blesses us with kindness and honor. The Lord freely gives every good thing to those who do what is right. – Psalm 84:11

Rest for the Weary

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – (Matthew 11:28, HCSB)

Come to Me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. – (Matthew 11:28, ERV)

Are you having a real struggle? Come to Me! Are you carrying a big load on your back? Come to Me – I’ll give you a rest! – (Matthew 11:28, NTE)

This morning, despite being a day off, I was up at the usual time. However, knowing that I do not have to work today brings a different sort of rest. The ability to have a leisurely morning doing devotions with a second cup of coffee, followed by a long walk with the pups, provides rest for my soul. Rest looks different for everyone, yet God knows what we need. When we seek Him and hand Him the weight of our burdens, He gives us rest – body, heart, soul and mind. May we all seek the Lord to lay down our burdens this long weekend, and allow Him to show us His perfect rest.

All who are weary,

We are not alone;

To God up above,

Our burdens are known.

He walks beside us,

And shoulders the weight;

He renews our strength,

His love’s never late.

He knows what we need,

In love, He provides;

A space to recharge,

As we choose abide.

Lean into Jesus,

His strength is enough;

To carry the weight,

Of our heavy stuff.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can come to You in our weariness and find Your rest. Thank You that You lovingly walk beside us and carry the weight that we cannot. Forgive us for not slowing down with intention to seek You in our spaces of need. Teach us to come to You to be our strength, rest and resolve in all things and at all times. Show us how to love and bless those around us in ways that bring rest to weary spaces. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come to You in our weariness and find true rest in the light of Your perfect love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us – not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. – Titus 3:4-5