For the Weary

I don’t know about you, but I often forget how tired I am.

Case in point: yesterday, I fell asleep on the couch while the kids were playing on the Wii.  All I remember: Princess Anna covering me with a blanket, bringing down her pillow and my old stuffed rabbit, removing my glasses, and telling me to let her know if I needed anything.  (My heart explodes with love for that girl.  But I digress…)

And today, it hit me while I was in the shower.  I was so busy with the laundry-breakfast-devotions-get-the-kids-ready-for-school-pack-my-stuff-for-the-gym-get-ready-for-work-go-to-work-drop-off-the-kids-because-there-was-a-delay-still-make-it-to-the-gym-and-back-to-the-school-in-time-to-pick-up-princess-anna-and-get-to-the-tax-man’s-in-time-and-oh-yes-eat-lunch-and-feed-the-kid-and-pets-in-there-somewhere busy-ness that it didn’t hit me until I was finally relaxed.

Downfall: now I want a nap.

Do you ever wonder why we fight rest?

What is it about us that never slows down anymore to just rest?

When I was little and visiting my grandparents in the midwest, we used to take a nap every Sunday.  I still try to relax on Sundays, but it’s not the same as that much-needed REST.

The greek word anapausō, used in Matthew 11:28, occurs 12 times in the New Testament, and it means “to cause to rest, soothe, refresh.  Stretch as far as you can to find out what he meant specifically, but I think he meant that, in all things, He will give us rest.  From sin, mental stress, emotional strife, and physical burdens.  That’s why the cover of my home management binder reads: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Just another reminder that rest is okay, it is good, and God wishes it for us.

So rest.