candle in handHebrews 4:8-9

Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this

rest, God would not have spoken about another

day of rest still to come.  So there is a special

reststill waiting for the people of God.

As I was reading this morning in the book of Hebrews, this passage jumped out at me and gave me the biggest smile.

See, I think the devil loves to distract us from our final destination as often as he can.  I think he tries to wear us out, get us stressed, preoccupy us with “earthly things,” and use any other possible scheme to cause us to feel tired and weary.

Especially around Christmastime.

What a perfect plan he thinks he has devised- turning the simple birth of Jesus into a commercialized holiday.

I just love how God slips in, though, and offers a peaceful manger scene to pull us back to what’s important.

Maybe that’s why He chose this kind of entry for His Son.

A huge hospital would have distracted from the beauty of the Savior’s birth.

No, God knew exactly what He was doing when He sent Jesus to us in the way He did.

And the devil has tried ever since to glamorize the Nativity experience to a point that can easily pull us way from everything God longs for us to have.

Peace.

Hope.

Love.

Gentleness.

Humility.

A quiet heart.

Open arms to give rather than to receive.

Rest.

Maybe that’s why people love snow so much at Christmastime.

It’s God’s way of getting our attention and slowing down our pace.

I think we all want to rest, but it’s almost as if we have to be forced to or we feel guilty.

I’m thankful that God promises that a day of rest will come for all of His people!

Until that day, I want to have a heart that is able to rest in Him in the midst of the life that surrounds me.

My prayer for you today is that you can take a minute and simply,

“Be still and know that He is God.”

Loving you all.

Praying especially today for the family of sweet Andrew who went home to be with the Lord yesterday after a fight with brain cancer.  He was 12.  Please keep praying for Brandon too.

Thankful for all of you,