Pause, Wait and Rest

Never underestimate the power of a rest. In music, there are notes and there are also rests. I was reminded of this in my favorite devotional, "Streams in the Desert". A rest is very important to a musical piece. It gives the remainder of the piece emphasis. It promotes the tune.

Our lives are like a work of musical art. There are the comings and goings of every day life and then there are the "rests". Psalm 23 says that He leads us beside quiet waters.

Don't be afraid to pause, wait and rest. Especially when you feel like you need a break, or need to hear from God.

I Kings 9:11-12 says,

"And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;

¹²And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice."

Elijah found God where he least expected Him. In the pause, in the wait, and in the rest.

I Remember

"And he put on them the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of memorial or rememberance for the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded Moses." Exodus 39:7

It can be a good thing to "remember".

As I woke up early this morning, just a few minutes ago actually, the air was crisp and cool. I remembered stepping outside at 3 am in Kansas City after a long conference. I remember how awesome it was to serve the Lord among ten thousand believers, and I remember the early rainy morning I left to move back home.

I remembered waking up in Spain after a long flight, and also the long nights there and the sounds of the courtyard natives singing, dancing and having a great time.

I remembered traveling to West Virginia to set up free car washes and loving the mountain air.

I remember the cold, crisp air in Rome blowing across my face as we made our way across the city, and the faces of thousands of refugees who had no blankets in below freezing weather. I remember Paul's prison and how I wept just being there. I remember seeing the altars of the martyrs where one supposedly said, "You can turn me over now--this side's done."

I remember the air in Paris and how overcast the weather was, but how intensely romantic!

I remember Jesus. I look through ten years of journals and see request after request of "Lord, please send my husband!" I remember our first kiss. :)

I remember leading a worship team in college --going to churches to share God's heartbeat with them through worship. I remember our first trip to serve, where one of my band mates lost his life in a van his first semester in college. I remember saying "No" before we left to driving that vehicle.

I remember having my life "together" and being very independent, and also when I gave it all up to go on a mission trip. I remember the bed my mother made for me in their single wide trailer and the crisp cool air inside of it.

It was a cold morning this morning. It reminded me of many other mornings and experiences.
I'm all about new beginnings. "Remember not the former things" Isaiah 43 says. However, when we pause to reflect on all that He has done for us, then our heart is stirred to hope for a better tomorrow.

I like what Heidi Baker said, "When you find out how good He is, then you find He is even better than that!"

I am looking forward to more great adventures with the Lord. They are just around the corner in the cold crisp air.