Isaiah 30:15 Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In your return and rest you will be saved. Your strength lies in peace and stability. You refuse yourselves.
In Passion Week, there is no clear record of what Jesus did on this day. It is understood that Jesus retreated to Bethany for retreat. The church calls this day "Retreat Day". Jesus' retreat is not just physical rest, but more time to come to the Father, to be close to the Father, the Father and the Son are of the same mind, the Father and the Son are walking together, full of strength, so that he can continue to work and face what is to come. suffering.
?Isaiah Chapter 30:15 tells us that thus says the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In your return and rest you will be saved. Your strength lies in peace and stability. You refuse yourselves. In this era of pursuing efficiency and speed, many people are struggling to move forward amid fatigue. The same is true in the church. Whether we are preachers, deacons, or co-workers, we always feel that working more means loving the Lord. Of course, we must always try our best to do more of the Lord’s work. However, we have to think about who we rely on and where is the source of our strength. Why do we often feel powerless and exhausted physically and mentally when we are working? Even so, we still have to hide our depletion in front of others, dragging our tired body and mind to continue serving, but rarely stop to face our true life situation. , allow yourself to meditate. Our hands and feet are always much faster than our hearts.
Our bodies need rest, and our souls need to be close to God, considerate of the Lord, and need the supply and strength from God. On the road of faith, we are like camels in the desert. Although the surroundings are barren and the road is far away, before setting off, the camel's hump has absorbed full energy; on the road of service, we are also like horses that deliver good news. , although we run as hard as we can, we still need to stop at the inn. When our strength is restored, we will run faster. Jesus was busier than us, but Jesus also knew how to meditate. He often retreated to the wilderness to be close to God alone. Don’t we also come to God from time to time, connect to the source above, be full of strength, and continue on the road?
Despite this, we often lose our quiet life for the following reasons: First, we rely on ourselves, who think we are very capable, are proud and self-reliant, refuse to rely on God, and ignore the things in heaven. Work must be provided by heaven. Second, they only focus on loving the Lord through many works, but neglect to draw close to the Lord deep in their souls. Third, the mind is noisy, has no direction, cannot find a way to be effective, and has lost the rhythm of service. Fourth, escape, the control of sin and the expansion of selfish desires make us far away from the face of God. We are unwilling to come before God for meditation, and we cannot find rest, let alone have any strength. If we lose our meditation, is it because of the above reasons? Of course, there may be other reasons.
Meditation is very important and necessary for God’s children. Without meditation, there will be no strength to move forward. Without meditation, our souls will have no rest. As long as we often retreat before God, get closer to Him more deeply, seek Him more, and wait for His grace, He will give us His strength, become the driving force for our walking, and push us forward. In the busy life of service and life, please help us, lest we lose precious rest.
May we, like Jesus, work hard but never forget to meditate. With a meditative life, we will also have heavenly power. Isaiah 30:15 - Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In your return and rest you will be saved. Your strength lies in peace and stability. You refuse yourselves. May we all be willing to return to rest and be saved, and gain peace and stability and strength. Deuteronomy 33:25 tells us...as your days are, so will your strength be.
May our body and mind meditate and our strength be restored, amen!