Ben Wilson, LPC

He will quiet you with his love – Our call to rest

Be Holy

Resting in Him, observing a Sabbath is a reminder that we are human beings not human doings.

Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature…” Genesis 1:26
(MSG)

He made us in His image to reflect his nature, and his nature is holy…when we restrict our lives to doing rather than being, it becomes difficult to reflect that holy part of not just His nature, but our nature. 

I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.” Ezekiel 20:12

He is saying it is who we are, rather than what we do, that reminds us we belong to him. Sometimes what we do can be a clue to who we are…but it’s not all the stuff we do that makes us holy, it’s our connection with Him…and we can most intimately connect with Him when we rest, when we Sabbath.

Be Alone (Find Sanctuary)

Christ went away, went to be alone, when he needed to rest.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!” Mark 1:35 (NIV)

Ever feel like ‘everyone is looking for you’? I’ve always wondered why bathrooms are sometimes called restrooms…cause it seems like whenever you’re in there, ‘everyone is looking for you!’ Especially your kids! Jesus couldn’t wait for the work to be done, it would never all be done. There would always be ‘one more thing’ to do, just like there is in our lives.

Jesus rested before important events when he desired strength from the Father, such as before going to the desert to be tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11) and before the crucifixion (John 12:36b). He rested after important events to restore his strength, such as feeding the 5000 (Mark 6:45-46) He even instructed us about finding sanctuary, being alone, when he was instructing the disciples about prayer in Matthew.

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place…Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.” Matthew 6:6 (MSG)

Finding Sanctuary helps me rest. And when I rest, I am more connected not only with Him, but with everyone and everything around me. It helps me ‘restore my soul’ as it says in Psalm 23:3. In the Message, it says ‘catch my breath’. Sanctuary is where I slow down, Sanctuary is where I am more aware. I wrote of my Sanctuary here on a Sabbath Sunday months ago…

Do you have a sanctuary? What can you do to create a little sanctuary in your life?

Sanctuary doesn’t necessarily have to mean “alone”, but it does mean being at rest, being at peace, being safe. Think of the concept of ‘sanctuary’ as a place fugitives went for ‘safety’, immunity from those chasing them, wanting to arrest them, ‘bind’ them. Sanctuary is where I am safe. And when we are safe, we can allow ourselves to Be Known, the final Grace in our call to rest in Him and His love.

Sign from my Grandparent's Country Store that graces the space above the glider at my Sanctuary.