Restoration in His Rest

Yes, my soul find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NIV)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

My soul quietly waits for the True God alone because I hope only in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE)

 

As I sit here in the still silence of early morning, I am so thankful for He who gives me rest. It is not the sort of rest where I sit down and snooze, but rather a provision of places of reprieve. In this quiet space, though a bit tired, my soul is at rest. My heart is content, and my resolve renewed, simple from spending time with Him. God is faithful to meet us in the moments we seek Him. He hears our heart and knows our need. May we ever seek the Lord to settle our souls, for He is our Provider of hope and of real rest.

 

In unsettled space,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

My soul shall find rest;

When I seek the Lord,

For His grace is best.

A love that brings hope,

When all seems but lost;

A heart that will give,

No matter the cost.

What great love is this,

That knows and meets need?

God, our Provider,

As we seek, He’ll lead.

Lead us to places,

Where rest shall be found;

Fresh hope discovered,

For His love is sound.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we come to You, You grant us rest and renew our hope. Thank You that rest is a state of our soul, not just a space of inactivity in our day. Thank You that You refresh and restore our hope as we run to You for rest. Forgive us for continuing in our exhausted state, without pursuing peace and restoration in You. Teach us to trust You more, as You alone are our hope and the Healer where we are weary. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends hope and provides spaces of reprieve. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, our Redeemer and Grantor of rest. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for rest, as our hope is held in You alone. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14

Seeking in Solitude

After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. – (Matthew 14:23)

 

Times of ministry, of reaching out to others, time to gather together, corporate worship, community – all are important and necessary, yet in order to pour out our whole hearts and be properly equipped to do as God has for us in each scenario, we must make time to invest individually, in our walk with Him. Just as Jesus withdrew by Himself to pray and spend time with His Father, we too, need to prioritize time invested in seeking our Savior. Every worthwhile relationship takes work, and our most important relationship is no exception. No, we do not need to “work” to be saved, yet our relationship with our Redeemer is far richer when we invest time and attention in Him. Our understanding and insight grows, and our ability to hear His voice becomes fine-tuned, making us more effective as we seek to serve Him in all that we do. May we each open opportunities to set aside time to seek our Savior.

 

In the quiet space,

of seeking alone;

when our hearts are still,

You make Yourself known.

Your strength is granted,

and truth is made known;

our hope is restored,

as Your grace is shown.

May we all draw near,

in a space alone;

to pray and to seek,

so Your will is known.

Grant us ears to hear,

as Your way is shown;

and courage to move,

where seeds need be sown.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to model for us how to have a right relationship with You. Thank You Jesus, for making the way for us to come into Your presence without stain or blemish, and to be received as righteous before You. Thank You that You long for us to spend time with You, alone in prayer, deepening our relationship with You. Forgive us for getting caught up in the “doing” without prioritizing our time with You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we may run to You first, as we greet each new day with thanksgiving. Help us to live in such a way, that we seek You first, then pour out the plenty that You place in us to all those who are around us. May many come to know the love and life that is available through You alone, as we go forth in the grace that You grant us. Be glorified, O God, as we seek You in solitude before we serve. Amen.

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

May God Almighty grant you mercy. – Genesis 43:14

 

The Help of the Holy Spirit

God wants you to know you are not alone. You have the Holy Spirit to comfort you, teach you truth, and help you. – (footnotes for John 16:1-16)

 

John 16:1-16 is Jesus teaching His disciples about the Holy Spirit whom He will send when He is no longer with them. Though they do not initially grasp what Jesus is saying, all of His words come alive in the beginning of Acts.

 

Today, more than anything else, I think I needed to be reminded that I am never alone. He is always with me. He is my Comforter, my Teacher, and my Helper in all things and at all times, regardless of how I feel. When I am less aware of His presence, perhaps because the chaos is too close, I have to choose to trust. He is faithful, and will never leave me nor forsake me. Time and time again, He has proven this to be so. As I am intentional with my time, and rise early to find quiet space in His presence, He is faithful; always. The tossing and turning, times of sleeplessness, often are meant to be times to stop and just listen as well. Father, thank You that You pursue us in the quiet spaces, and remain present, even when we are beyond overwhelmed.

 

When chaos surrounds,

and the walls close in;

call on Christ Jesus,

He’s dwelling within.

Our Comfort, present,

we needn’t look far;

He is here with us,

wherever we are.

He’ll teach us the truth,

when we are confused;

be our Source of strength,

our Help and good news.

So seek quiet space,

allow Him to speak;

He will be our strength,

when we’re feeling weak.

Even in the storms,

true peace can be found;

by resting in Christ;

our true solid ground.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that with You dwelling in us, we are never alone. Thank You that You are our Comforter, our Teacher, and our Help. Thank You that You never leave us nor forsake us, and that Your presence and Your promises remain forever. Forgive us for our fears and doubts when the chaos overwhelms, and help us to hold fast to You. Thank You that when we are weak, You are strong. Help us to trust You in all things and at all times, regardless of what is going on around us. Lead us to love as You love us, and may many come into a saving relationship with You. Be glorified as we seek You in our storms. Amen.

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

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6