Balance

When I started my second year as a student at Charis Bible College in Colorado, God gave me a word for the year.  Even though I really felt it was for that year particularly, the truth has carried through many more years.  The word was 'balance'.

Sometimes we can all get out of balance.  I've spoken a lot about this already, but it's very, very important on so many levels. God's view of balance, often looks different to ours.

For example, in the beginning, in Genesis we see the account of God creating the earth and everything we know.

But on the seventh day God rested.   God wasn't tired, ill or fed up, but he rested.  The word SABBATH means to rest or cease from work, not because you're tired, but an intentional stopping.

God set up the pattern of rest at creation and nothing is different now, except we are no longer bound by the law to keep the Sabbath,  We do not have to labour and strive to please God.  We are no longer justified by works of the law.  Yes, we are to cease from our own works to try and attain righteousness (right standing with God), but taking time to rest and just worship is crucial to our well-being and spiritual walk.

The principal of rest - or rather ceasing from work is something that we need to bring into our lives in other areas; our lives are crazy; BUSY BUSY BUSY seems to be the theme of so many days.  That's where we get out of balance.

Jesus took time away from ministry to connect with his Father and encouraged the disciples to get away to rest. Mark 6:31says "There was such a swirl of activity around Jesus, with so many people coming and going, that they were unable to even eat a meal. So Jesus said to his disciples, “Come, let’s take a break and find a secluded place where you can rest a while.” (TPT)

Time is a precious commodity and if we don't use it wisely we can end up in all sorts of trouble, but as I said at the start of this, God's idea of balance is often different to ours.   God's idea of balance means putting Him first!   When we take time to rest in his presence and just focus on worshipping him, somehow, everything else will come into balance.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus offers us this option:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

This weekend, take time to consider whether your life is in balance, and if you feel out of kilter in some way, look at how much time you are using in doing stuff in balance with the time you spend, just you and the Father.  Come to Him and he will give you rest.

Have a balanced (rested) weekend!