Rest, Two, Three, Four

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 few Christmases ago, a good friend gave me a collection on CD of Beethoven's symphonies.  They have been good companions while studying, writing, or just relaxing and reflecting.  Of course, I have my favorite symphony, the fifth.   The opening of this symphony is unmistakable and once heard, becomes unforgettable.

The entire symphony is built upon just two notes with the rest of the music exploring the various themes that Beethoven creates from them.  However, it is not so much the notes you hear that make the opening of the fifth symphony so remarkable, it is also the notes you don't hear that also make it memorable.  The opening goes like this: Ta, Ta, Ta, Dah, REST, Ta, Ta, Ta, Dah, REST.  It is those rests that grab our attention because they prepare us for what is to follow.

Rest is so important!  When I was taking piano lessons, the idea of the rest was very hard for me.  I didn't want to stop playing, I wanted to barrel on through and play all the notes until I finished the piece.  However, when I skipped or ignored the rests, the music didn't come out right.  It didn't sound as pretty or as wonderful as the composer intended.  All notes were there but they weren't played correctly and I ended up starting over until I learned to play it exactly as it was written, rests and all.

Life is a lot like this, isn't it?  We are constantly up and doing something.  We believe that every moment of every day must be filled or it is wasted.  This is especially true for Christians.  From the time we wake until the time we sleep, we feel we must be busy doing anything and everything we can think of for God.  We decide to spend so much time in prayer, so much time in volunteering, and so much time studying the Bible.  We are so "busy spiritually” that we need a secretary and a day planner just to ensure we meet all the "spiritual" appointments we have set for ourselves.  And, heaven forbid we arrive at the end of our day without completing all the "spiritual" tasks we have set for ourselves.

God looks at this, at the music of our lives, and says, "We need to put some rests in here.  This music is too busy, too fast, and too noisy!"  Have you ever stopped to think that your life is a piece of music?  Have you ever stopped to consider what your life would sound like if played on an instrument?  Mine would be one continuous run of notes, with no breaks and no slow downs at all.  It wouldn't sound very pretty and, quite frankly, I don't know that I would enjoy listening to all of it.

Jesus talked about rest.  He knew that rest was important because rest prepares us for what is to come.  It is during rest that we rejuvenate our minds, it is during rest that our bodies become stronger, and it is in during rest that our souls can communicate with God.  Looking around him, Jesus knew that people were tired, that they were weary, and that they were looking in the wrong place for rest.  That is why in Matthew 11:28, he talks about rest: Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

The next time you are listening to Beethoven's fifth, or any other piece of music, pay attention to the notes that are not there.  Listen for and learn to appreciate the rests in the music.  They serve a very important purpose.  Now, apply that to your own life.  Is it too busy?  Are you running through all the notes without taking a pause?  Does your life sound out of tune, too noisy, and too rushed?  You are probably ignoring the rests God has placed there.  He is the great composer and knows how the music should sound.  Let's learn to play it just as he has written it.  I believe we'll find it sounds perfect every time it's played.

A Moving Sidewalk

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t never ceases to amaze me how God continually reveals himself in the most unlikely places, using the most unlikely events in everyday life, teaching us great lessons about himself.  The trouble is we rarely take time to notice all the wonderful opportunities we have to learn more about our Heavenly Father because we are too busy and too occupied.  This was made abundantly clear to me during recent trip I took and the classroom where God taught me this lesson was in the airport.

What you may be wondering, could God possibly teach you in an airport?  Well, you would be surprised just how much you can learn there.  I was returning to Texas after my Christmas visit to see my family.  I got to the airport, checked my bags, got my boarding pass, and I was making my way to the gate.  Instead of walking down the long hallway to the terminal, I opted to jump on one of those moving sidewalks that will carry you to your destination. 

I stepped on the moving platform and enjoyed the ride.  Just a few feet in front of me was a woman with a large carry-on and an infant.  The little baby was not very happy about taking a trip and it was all the woman could do to control the child.  Had it not been for the moving platform, she would have been unable to proceed to the gate with both her child and her bag.  One of them would have been left behind and, from the look on her face; I’m not sure which one she would have chosen.

But the moving platform allowed her to carry both her bag and her child without overdue concern.  By the time we reached the end of the long hallway, the baby had fallen asleep and the woman easily picked up her baggage and walked to the gate.

This is a beautiful illustration of 1 Peter 5:7.  In this short passage of scripture, Peter reminds us that Christ carries our burdens for us and lightens our load.  This verse reads, “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”  Notice here that Jesus invites us to cast all of our cares on him.  That means everything, all our burdens, all our trials, all our sadness, all our joy, all our concerns, all of our everything because he loves us.

Far too often we insist on trudging through life, weighted down with all our baggage when all the while we could be riding on a moving sidewalk.  Jesus invites us to do just that.  He wants us to give our burdens to him, to depend on him, and to trust him to get us through the long journey of life so we can arrive safely at our destination. 

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o, if you are struggling today underneath the heavy burden of life’s cares, roll all your burdens over to Jesus.  He is more than able and willing to take your burden and to walk with you along life’s road.  How about a ride on a moving sidewalk today?

            

Recharge Your Batteries

Carp's Daily Tidbits

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

Date: Monday, January 19, 2015

Today's Title: Recharge Your Batteries

Today's Scripture: Mark 6:31

Batteries!  The world runs on batteries!  If you don’t believe me, just look at the watch on your wrist, the radio on your desk, the smoke detector on the wall, the cell phone in your purse or pocket, and your car in the parking lot!  They all have one thing in common—they require batteries to function.  No matter how sophisticated we become, no matter how powerful new sources of energy prove to be, it seems we find ourselves increasingly dependent on the lowly battery.  What would we do without these little guys?

When I was growing up, I remember finding batteries all over the house. We stored them in drawers and there were several under my bed as well as in my closet.  The problem, however, was that when I needed a battery, the ones I found were no longer useful.  They had lost their charge through proper use, overuse, or no use.  Whenever I needed a battery for a new gadget, a new toy, or for something more useful, I usually had to go out and purchase new batteries, or better yet, tell mom I needed them. This usually meant a trip to the store, a wait in line, and being stopped by every traffic light between our house and the nearest convenience store.

But all that changed when my dad bought a battery charger with rechargeable batteries.  I remember him bringing the charger into our kitchen, plugging it in, and filling it with these special batteries.  The instructions were very clear.  The batteries had to be left alone for several hours while electricity traveled through the terminals to be stored inside.  I was fascinated by this process and walked by several times to see if the batteries were “done.” 

During this time of recharging, the batteries didn't look as if anything was happening to them.  They simply lay there in their charger, soaking up the power being poured into them.  Finally, after several hours, the indicator panel informed me that the batteries were fully charged. I took them out and put them into one of my toys and, presto! The energy stored in them provided the necessary power the toy needed in order to work properly.  The hours of waiting during the recharging process paid off.

Jesus knew the importance and the necessity for recharging his disciples.  Long before the advent of the battery, long before the discovery of electricity, and long before the invention of portable electric devices, Jesus taught his disciples the need for rest.  He knew there must be time of inactivity and a time of drawing from God, and a time of renewing their strength.  Without this time, Jesus knew that burnout and ineffectiveness were inevitable.

On several occasions the Scriptures tell us that Jesus withdrew by himself to spend time in prayer, talking to God.  Jesus knew that in order to minister and demonstrate God’s love, he would have to spend time in God’s presence, recharging his mind and spirit for the work ahead.  Likewise, the disciples also needed times of spiritual renewal and refreshment and Jesus made sure they received them.

In Mark 6:31, Jesus tells his disciples, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." This takes place just before the feeding of the five thousand.  The disciples had been following Jesus and working with the press of people all around them.  They hadn't even had time to eat and they were physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.  Ever been there?  So Jesus took them to a quiet place to rest, to relax, and to refresh their souls and their bodies.

So many times in our day-to-day-struggle on life’s road, we find ourselves completely worn out.  We are so tired and irritable that the witness we give for Christ seems to do more harm than good.  We don’t feel like being Christians, we don’t feel like praying, and quiet time is completely out of the question.  God fully understands these moments in our lives. He doesn't get angry with us, He doesn't figure out ways to make our lives more unbearable, and He doesn't get offended when we are like this.  Instead, He makes a place for us, a place off the beaten path where we can rest, sleep, and recharge our batteries.  Psalm 23 provides a wonderful picture of this as God makes a place in green pastures and beside still waters for the purpose of restoring our souls.

Today, you may be completely on the edge and at your wits’ end.  If this is so, take heart.  It may be that you will soon hear the voice of God calling you to rest.  When you hear that call, obey it.  Rest has its purpose and its place in the Christian walk.  It is the time when God does some of His best and most important work on us because that is the time we are still.  Is it time for you to recharge your batteries today?