The Tenth Gift of Christmas - Embracing God’s Love Through “R.E.S.T.”
“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.” Psalms 37:7 NKJV
Rest is simply doing nothing and this may be confused with laziness or the sin of sloth. However, in the story of creation in the book of Genesis, we read that God rested from all his work on the seventh day after he finished his work of creation. And God declared the seventh day to be holy (Genesis 2:2-3) and commanded the Jews to rest during the Sabbath. To rest in the Lord is the expression of our trust in God’s promises and protection. It is being the fertile soil for God’s seed of love to germinate and grow.
In the current pandemic, Kota Sriraj, and environmental journalist, noted that “every human being pauses, even if it is for a second, to marvel at the beauty of nature” and that nature needs a break from humanity. We need to recapture the sense of awe and wonder of God’s amazing love.
Anne Basting noted that when we feel small in the face of something bigger than ourselves, our sense of shared humanity is increased. When we see how small and fragile we really are we will be more humble and kinder to one another. And so when we live out the Beatitudes we will be living in God’s loving embrace. We do so by:
- Remembering that love came down at Christmas
- Experiencing our need and dependence on God’s providence
- Seeking the presence of Jesus Christ who is our Emmanuel
- Trusting in God’s promises and protection
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