Resting and Abiding

If there's a brand new day, I fill it. Up. I'm not sure that I really KNOW how to simply rest in the midst of what I'm doing. I received a sweet word from the Lord last night about this, that He's going to show me and teach me more about this simple little word that's packed with SO much necessity. Rest.

Funny how just last week I unearthed a book an elderly friend gave me about three years ago. It's called Sabbath Rest. She's now with Jesus, but she wanted me to have this book.

For me, REST can't always look like sipping green tea with my latest subscription of Real Simple (Thanks, Jenn!), but it can look like something in the midst of my hurry-flurry of meeting people's needs and demands. And that's just in my household on any given day.

Throw in actually leaving my front door and stepping out into the world, and rest hops away like that bunny in Alice in Wonderland who's always watching that watch. Did he have a name? It's been a long time since I've seen that.

Psalm 15 was pressed upon my heart last night when David asks the Lord a question.

"Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in your holy hill?"

I have a hard time with abiding, and the Lord is checking my heart and challenging me on this. So what does it mean to abide?

1)to remain; continue; stay. 2)to have one's abode; dwell; reside. 3)to continue in a particular attitude, relationship.

Number 3 hit home with me. I flounder in and out of continuing in a particular attitude/relationship with Him.

It's a heart attitude for me in the midst of my circumstances, because goodness knows, I'm not always going to have a perfect restful response to whatever's going on around me. I live in the world, and that's bound to bring a host of trials and tribulations and trouble.

So, I'm on a quest this year to learn more about abiding in the Lord. He who promised is faithful to keep me in a continual state of learning and growing along this journey, this walk together. Abiding in Him means relying on him for all of the strength and the fruit that is needed for those around me.

It's His deal. I don't have to do all or be all. My responsibility is to keep my eyes fixed on Him and let him replenish the fruit that gets used up, eaten or trampled on any given day in any given moment.

He stocks the fruit in my heart, and He knows when I'm running out of one or several or all!

"Now the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, patience and self-control." There are constantly people around me that require these of me each and every day.

If I had to restock my shelves with these fruits, it just wouldn't get done in my own strength. Likely, if I had to restock, I'd grab quick little fruit cups because I honestly don't have the time, strength or energy to unpeel and offer a fresh fruit to every person that I encounter.

But, He does. He's all about whole food.

Now, that's nutritious and nourishing food for my weary soul.

And I hope yours, too. You don't have to muster up these in your own strength.

Today, I'm asking to be restocked. I have to leave my front door in about an hour.

Oh, and Mr. Alice in Wonderland bunny? You're NOT accompanying me today.

Blessings,

Emily