From Matt Wiegand…

Back in the saddle this week after spending a week in FL with the fam.  What a great time together.  Driving to FL and back, playing at the beach and pool, eating out and spending time with the boys and my babe were the highlights.  Vacation was a time for me to rest physically and mentally.

Well, I am not sure about the physical rest.  It is very common to have 1-3 boys hanging on me.  You know they think some day they can take “ole dad.”  I don’t think so!  Mentally was restful away from the office and phone.  Thank you Kristi!

What about spiritual rest though?

Is vacation for spiritual rest?

What is spiritual rest?

We are quick to think of rest in a physical way.  Take a vacation, take a Sunday afternoon nap, go shopping, go watch a ballgame, etc.

But what about spiritual rest?

God has been reminding me of spiritual rest the last few months.  During Soul Detox, God reminded me not to worry about “People Pleasing,” but to focus on resting in His love, grace and will for me.  Or recently during the Pray Like Jesus series.  Rest in prayer with God.

I was recently reading parables of Jesus in the book of Luke.  God reminded me to rest in chapter 15 in “The Parable of the Lost Sheep.”

Most of us know this parable.  Jesus is reminding the Pharisees that God’s love and grace is not just for the religious, but for all people.  Paraphrasing Jesus’ question is:  Wouldn’t a shepherd leave his 99 sheep to go find his 1 lost sheep?

Jesus says the shepherd does and explains in verse 5…

“5…And when he is found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”

The sheep is who I thought of.  I am that sheep.  You are that sheep.  Your neighbor/relative is that sheep.  And how did the sheep respond?

The sheep lay on the shoulders of the shepherd and the shepherd rejoiced.  God is saying the sheep (me or you) rest on the shoulders of God.  What other promise do we need?

The sheep did not worry on the shoulders of God.

The sheep did not have anxiety on the shoulders of God.

The sheep did not squirm on the shoulders of God.

The sheep rested.

As children (sheep) of God, we are still going to have trials and tribulation.  But during those times, are we resting on the shoulders of God?  Or are we trying to walk through the mud and the mire by ourselves.

During our days, are we taking advantage of the Great God we serve and resting on his shoulders?  I need to constantly remind myself…  “Matt, let it go.  God is in control and is working all things out for His purpose.”

So how do you have spiritual rest?  Prayer…Bible time…Sunday Worship…Communion…Community Group…Accountability Partner…Prayer Partner…Prayer Journal…

Most important for me is when the temptation of the mental battles come, I need to give it to God right away and remind myself to “rest” on His shoulders.