Under the Rest

When my son was 4-5 years old, he and his best buddy liked incorporating me into their imaginative play. 

One of my favorite characters to watch them emulate was cowboys. They took a big blanket and made a tent by covering dining room chairs. They enjoyed being sheriffs and keeping the peace in their make-believe town.

Often, while I stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes, I would hear them whispering. Usually, immediately after the whispers, one of them would 'sneak up' behind me and say sternly: "Put your hands up! You are under the rest!"

Somehow the word 'arrest' was never clearly understood to them - they heard: 'the rest.' After much laughter, they tied my hands behind my back and led me away to the jail.
In my task focused moments, this command to be 'under the rest' jarred me. How prophetic, how captivating was the command to rest.

Working hard came in my natural DNA from both parents.  I would tease my friend, Bea, telling her that I needed to trade the first two letters of my first name -  Do - for the first two letters of her name - Be!  Performance  was my middle name.

More often than not, my soul worked hard to live right, be right, walk right, talk right - I took literally the admonition to work out my soul salvation. I lived with soul exhaustion until I believed the rest of the Truth:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2: 12-13 (ESV)

 I did need to obediently live out the salvation of my soul. However, I was 'under the rest' when I believed that it is God who gives me the power to live in a way the gives Him pleasure...under His rest.  In His Presence, I rest.

Being faith-full - believing God - pleases Him and that gives me emotional rest.

God rest your soul...

Join me with others at today's Faith Barista Jam. 

How do you find emotional rest?