7-12-2025 Resting in the Lord
As I was
reading Psalm 15 when my phone started buzzing all over the place. I noticed that
twice a ‘suspected spam’ was calling in (big deal), but I noticed that there
was something else. But I looked up a
word from the passage I was reading, then I checked the other
notification. Pastor Loretta’s ‘Monday
Devotional’. In a nutshell the
devotional passage was about how Abigail, the wife of Nabal, encouraged David not
avenge himself concerning her husband’s offense. Instead, she advised David to keep his eye on
what was truly important and not taint himself with trivial things (1 Sam.
25:1-37).
Hmmm. This past Sunday our pastor brought us a July
theme of “Rest, Reset and Recalibrate’.
In other words, ‘learn how to rest in the Lord, shed the meaningless
things with which we have been holding us back, then refocus on and restructure
that which is really important.
Understand
that ‘rest’ is the beginning of focus and restructure. If one cannot find peace and rest, how can he
change his focus to anything constructive, or much less restructure his
actions?
Personal
observations: when I get tired, I have a
hard time keeping things together in my mind.
That is, things that I should know as well as my own name takes a vacation. Lately, Father has been helping me set up
what I need to get done or even just what I would like to get done for the day. In the morning, I set up my priority list for
the day and that helps a lot. It makes
sure things of greater impact get done. I
check my list at the end of the day, I see that if I actually covered, my needs or my WANTS. Sometimes, I have barely met my needs, much
less anything else. The key is that I
don’t get frustrated when I don’t get everything done. My list is mental so I don’t write everything
down (I know, I know) and that helps me not to get angry with myself (believe
it or not). I mean, if we get frustrated
with ourselves, how can we rest? I know that I feel peace and relaxed when I
have met my goals.
But, in the past
few year, Father has shown me three things which bring me peace and rest. I have five songs I sing along with and a
sixth I just listen to as my body settles down.
I said sing along with. That
means I get active, I don’t just sit there.
My actions (movements) express what the song is singing about. As a suggestion, on Mon., Wed. & Fri. I
sing along with “You know My name” (Tasha Cobbs Leonard), “Chain Breaker” (Zach
Williams), “Break Every Chain” (Tasha Cobbs Leonard), “Holy Water” (We the
Kingdom with Tasha) and “I Speak Jesus” (Charity Gayle). Then I sit down and listen to “Amazing
Grace”, sung in Cherokee. Oft times,
before Amazing Graced ends, I find myself becoming very relaxed, almost to
point of dozing off.
On Tues.
Thur. & Sat., I sing some songs which Father has given me over the
years. Subject but no titles. A few of these songs, the pastor let me bring
to our fellowship, but none are published.
#1 I asked Father to give me something to reflect how I feel when I am
with Him; #2 again, something about how I feel when I am with Him (Father asked
me); 3rd a song which reflects my experiences going through many
different Pentecostal churches’ and how the Holy Ghost reflects Himself in
and/or through us; #4 a song Father gave
me about Jesus’ return, a hand-clapper which I thought would be good for
children, but which the Pastor has asked me to bring few times over the years; #5 another song reflecting how I feel when I’m
with the Lord based on a James Brown hit – yes it is up tempo; and, time
permitting, #6 a song about how I feel about representing Jesus in today’s
world. The flow each of these song is
inspired upon songs I knew growing up, except #1 & #4. Father asked me “What if those earlier
musicians sang their song for Him instead of the world? Father changed the lyrics to satisfy
Him. With some of these songs, I use a
tambourine as accompaniment.
No matter
which set of songs I’m singing, I get the same Holy Ghost feeling. That is, my knees get a little weak and I get
shivers all over (as expressed in #2). I
also find this happening when I prepare a bible study or a blog entry. I usually don’t feel anything until I go to
stand up. getting up out of the chai may
take several attempts. Elvis had one
shaky leg, I have two!
I love
it! I feel relaxed, at peace and
rested. In those times I could care less
about what’s going on around me. As
James Brown said on one of His songs “I feel good!”, nananana.
In the past
year or two, I found myself getting this feeling when I bring a bible study, or
listen to a goo study, or the pastor bringing the word or even just listening
to or singing along with our praise and worship songs at our fellowship.
Is there any
argument that Psalm 23 is the greatest passage for rest? Let’s examine it.
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I
shall not want.
The Lord is my Shepherd,
Shepherd is the Hebrew word raah (H7462),
meaning friend, companion or pastor. Want
is chacer (H2637) need, decrease,
make lower. The Lord is my companion who
will meet my needs (Phil. 4:19).
We need to understand that the Lord guides us in what we do. Of course it helps when we ask him for guidance (John 14:14). In our obedience to His love and commandments, He does meet our needs and as we growl in Him, even our desires as they line up with His will (John 15:5-11). In short, we can’t just ask for a million dollars simply because we want it, but likewise, we will never be lacking in what we truly need.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth
me beside the still waters.
Makes shavah (H7737) bring forth, compare, equal; pastures naah (H4999)
home, pasture, pleasant place; leads nahal
(H5095) conduct, sustain, provide, guide; waters mayim (H4325) water, flood, spring.
He will put us in
positions to rest as we listen to and do what He says. We can be at peace with all that which around
us. When I sing songs to the Lord and
even when I am reading His word or just watching or listening to something
edifying, the woes of this world are a ‘million miles’ away. TYJ (Thank You
Jesus)!
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name’s sake.
Restores shuwb (H7725) turn back, build, convert, recompense; paths magal, magalah (H4570) path {the road we
walk}: righteousness tsedaqah (H6666)
justice, virtue: sake maan (H4616)
purpose, intent.
When I’m with the Lord, my
soul regenerates energy and I find myself more willing to follow His leading
because the cares of this world are off at a distance. He does this, simply because He is who He is
– love (1 John 4:8).
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death,
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
Walk yalak (H3212) make one’s way, go:
through al (H5921)
against; Valley goy oar gay (H1516) valley; + tsalmaveth (H6757) shadow of death; Rod shebet
(H7626) stick for punishing, writing, fighting or walking; staff mishenah (H4938) walking stick, support; comfort nacham (H5162) comfort (self, pity; fear
yare (H3372) dread; evil ra (H7451)
evil, bad, calamity, sorrow, trouble.
Even though I have to go
through some things, He nudges me in the direction I need to take. No matter how ‘simple’ or ‘involved’
situations may seem. He is my
support! When I remember that He is with
me, I don’t have to be afraid of any situations that comes upon me
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of
mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Prepare arel (H6188) strip clean, bare;
table shulchan (H7979) spread out as a table; presence
neged (H5048) opposite, over, before,
against, presence; enemies tsarar
(H6887) bind up, distress; anoint dashen
(H1878) remove ashes, cleanse; head
rosh (H7218) on forefront of head, high point; oil shemen
(H8081) grease, liquid; cup kowc
(H3563) container; runs revayah
(H7310) satisfaction, runs over.
When necessary, Father
makes me look pretty good when I am in the presence of those who would de me
harm. So much so, I know that they can
do nothing against me unless I let them.
My Lord is at my side! He blesses
me, protects me so much that I can’t contain the good He does for me (Phil.
4:19, Mal. 3:10).
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Goodness towb (H2896) good, bountiful, glad; mercy checed (H2617) kindness, love, mercy,
pity (Godly); follow radaph (H7291)
follow or run after’ days yowm
(H3117) sunrise to sunset; life chay
(H2416) living creature; dwell
yashab (H3427) to dwell, stay; house havith (H1004) dwelling place, home; forever
orek (H753) length, forever/ yown (H3117) orek + yown together carry connotation of length of time which have no end.
When I walk
with my Lord, Father’s goodness and mercies are all around me. AND I know that as I live in obedience to the
Lord’s love and will, I will abide in His house in this world land the one to
come!
Living in
Father’s love and walking in His Word brings safety, safety brings peace and it
all enables me to rest in the Lord.
Praise the
Lord who lives and reigns forever
