Rest, Rhythm, and the Good Work of God

That's why we need this word. That's why we need to rest. That's why we need rhythm. Because without rhythm, we risk burnout. We risk distraction. We risk spiritual numbness. But when we embrace it, we live a life that is sent. It's actually how we do the good work. Far from the opposite of good work. Rest and rhythm is how we do it. Rhythm is boundaries. I don't know if you've ever heard, you know, oh that guy's got no rhythm. Maybe that's you. Are you the one that's like at the dance, you have no rhythm? Rhythm is actually what makes things good. [00:03:28] (39 seconds)  #GodsWorkThroughRest

The world calls you by what you do like that. That's, Oh, you're, you're the, you're, you're your job or you're the one that you're, you're that cheater or something, you know, like the world will call you by what you do. And many times when we get to calling as Christians, we go, Oh yeah, I'm, that's my call is to do something. But God calls you who you are. God sees you. He knows you even better than you know yourselves. And what we do comes out of that place. That is what you're, it's who you're called. And then you get your assignment or that, that calling to do out of that place. [00:14:25] (37 seconds)  #RestInJesusWork

We get in this like almost rage, like I'm going to do the Lord's work when there's a very real reminder that I think that some of us need. Um, did you hear what you just said? We, some of us are trying, we're working so hard because we are trying to do the Lord's work. We're trying to do what only God can do. This is what Psalm 127 says. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. [00:19:42] (30 seconds)  #SabbathForTheSoul

It is in vain that you rise up early. Some of you are like, oh man, I got up so early. It is in vain that you go late to rest. I only got three hours of sleep last night just doing the Lord's work. Okay. Well, God's saying you wasted your time if he's not in it. That's what this says. Eating the bread of anxious toil. Just want to sit on that. The bread of anxious toil. How's that taste? And then listen to this. For he gives to him his beloved sleep. When you're loved by God, he's like, hey, you rest. I got this. [00:20:12] (38 seconds)  #CenterLifeOnJesus

Rest does, it recreates us for good work. And I mean, they're in, in your church center app and up there, we've got Genesis two, uh, God says it again in Exodus 20, Mark two, like the Sabbath was made for you. Check those words. God takes rest very seriously. And it's part of his good work for us. Some of us need to do that good work though. Like what would the good work of, of clearing out a day and saying, you know what? I will honor God on this day. I will honor him and do the good work of resting on this day. [00:28:19] (29 seconds)  #PrayForTheHarvest

In our house, we have Sabbath plates. All right. We really do. They're paper. Those are our Sabbath plates. Far from the Sunday China. Like we use paper plates on Saturdays in our house because that's, it's Sabbath, you know, and we're not going to, we're not going to do that. We just want to be at rest. But there's a, there's a thing that we can do that actually does prepare our hearts to walk into that place of rest with Jesus. And it's called prayer. [00:35:20] (27 seconds)

All year long, we've been talking about being prepared for harvest here. And this comes from scripture. Harvest is work. And there's, there's work that needs to be done. There's people that need to do it. But this is what Jesus says in Luke 10, 10 verse two. And he said to them, the harvest is plentiful. This is a promise, y'all. If you ever look around the world, you're like, oh, I don't think God's doing anything anymore. He's not healing. He's not in the move. The world's just going, you're just going to hell in a handbasket kind of thing. No, Jesus says the harvest is plentiful. [00:35:47] (29 seconds)

That means there's work out there to be done. But the laborers are few. Now you could easily end this verse with, so get, get moving, get out there, you slothful people, you know, like, but that's not what Jesus says. He says, therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest. Prayer is part of how God provides. Many times we're so busy. We're so exhausted. We're so overwhelmed because we are trying to do the good work when if we would stop, rest, and go, God, would you just prepare me to know it when I see it? [00:36:17] (37 seconds)

We've been doing this good work series, and it would be easy for me to say, hey, so get to work. Let's go. Let's do it. We want to make sure, church family, I want you to do good work, not just work. Rest, rhythm, prayer. This is how we, this is how we make sure that the work that we're doing is good work. It's good, the work that God has for us, the work that he's going to breathe life into, and bless, not just for others, but for you, as you're doing. Sure, the work is work, but it becomes good when it comes from God himself. [00:42:59] (35 seconds)

Whatever uncertainty, no matter the ask that you might feel, the assignment you're being asked to step into, be still. Know that he's God, because here's what happens. Far from work not getting done, when we do that, the work becomes good work. This is how that verse ends. Be still, and know that I am God. When we do, I will be exalted among the nations, God says. I will be exalted in the earth. So, Holy Spirit, as we pause, as we slow down, as we still ourselves and come to you, we know that you are God. God, the work is yours. Would you be exalted among the nations? [00:44:21] (42 seconds)