Lately, through the overwhelming nature of my personal storm, and through the seemingly endless tasks on my to-do list, I've felt Jesus calling me to the below verse.
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 11:28-30
The Message (MSG)
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
The unforced rhythms of grace.
When I hear that, I picture myself closing my eyes, falling back, and floating on the waves of His mercy.
Maybe that's why I've been drawn to the lake so much these past few weeks. I can spray on some sunscreen, stretch out on a tube or on a boat sundeck, close my eyes, and bob along to His grace. Feel the sun on my back and the wind on my cheeks and the spray of water on my toes and just...float. Breathe. Relax.
BE.
Rhythms of grace.
That's what that means to me. To let go, and float. You can't float on your back in water if you're tense and trying too hard. Your weight will make you sink. You have to trust the water to hold you, and give yourself over to it. Relax. Breathe. Essentially, do NOTHING.
That's what makes it so hard.
Human nature is to strive. Achieve. Accomplish. Fix it. Do it all ourselves, and do it quickly.
Jesus knew that. That's why He said we have to "learn" the unforced rhythms of grace. It's not something that comes naturally to us.
I was at the lake earlier today. I'm in Louisiana, remember, so we share our lakes with alligators, and catfish, and all other manner of Southern Swampies. I was swimming, holding on to the edge of the tube I'm floating in below, while my friend put on some goggles.
He popped back up and told the rest of us "You can see about two feet down, and then it's just black!"
I laughed. "That's fine! I don't think I want to see what I'm floating above!"
Peace resides in those unforced rhythms of grace.
If we just float in them, and not worry about what might or might not be lurking in the murky waters outside of our control, we'll experience that peace and that rest for our effort-weary hearts.
Float with me?
The unforced rhythms of grace.
When I hear that, I picture myself closing my eyes, falling back, and floating on the waves of His mercy.
Maybe that's why I've been drawn to the lake so much these past few weeks. I can spray on some sunscreen, stretch out on a tube or on a boat sundeck, close my eyes, and bob along to His grace. Feel the sun on my back and the wind on my cheeks and the spray of water on my toes and just...float. Breathe. Relax.BE.
Rhythms of grace.
That's what that means to me. To let go, and float. You can't float on your back in water if you're tense and trying too hard. Your weight will make you sink. You have to trust the water to hold you, and give yourself over to it. Relax. Breathe. Essentially, do NOTHING.
That's what makes it so hard.
Human nature is to strive. Achieve. Accomplish. Fix it. Do it all ourselves, and do it quickly.
Jesus knew that. That's why He said we have to "learn" the unforced rhythms of grace. It's not something that comes naturally to us.
I was at the lake earlier today. I'm in Louisiana, remember, so we share our lakes with alligators, and catfish, and all other manner of Southern Swampies. I was swimming, holding on to the edge of the tube I'm floating in below, while my friend put on some goggles.
He popped back up and told the rest of us "You can see about two feet down, and then it's just black!"
I laughed. "That's fine! I don't think I want to see what I'm floating above!"
That hit me as soon as I said it, and lingered until I sat down to write this post. There's a lot of blessings in the unforced rhythms of grace. There's peace and rest and rejuvenation. There's learning how to relax and float and let Jesus take control of the waves in your life...
As you trust Him. Because you really DON'T want to see what might be below you. If you trust the one keeping you afloat, it doesn't matter. It's like Peter taking his eyes off Jesus to look at the crashing wind and rain around him. He faltered and began to sink.
If we just float in them, and not worry about what might or might not be lurking in the murky waters outside of our control, we'll experience that peace and that rest for our effort-weary hearts.
Float with me?
Love, LOVE your recent posts, Betsy!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right, no matter what our 'scorpion' is, we all have them. Floating in that rhythm of grace, letting go of the fear...wow. Just wow. It's hard when it's in our face all day long (*sigh*), and we're weary as you said, but there is One who can help us float.