There is revelation in rest

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: I Kings 19, 20; Psalm 70

I Kings 19:3-5; 11-13 (NIV)
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, I am no better than any of my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Good morning!

I am really tired this morning! Have you ever felt so tired that you just didn’t think you could take another step forward? I have a busy life. My days are filled with activities, from the moment I awake until I place my head on the pillow late at night. I spend approximately 8-9 hours at my day job. This is work that I enjoy and take great pride in. I am blessed to be part of a team of people with whom I enjoy working. I like contributing to a corporate culture that raises the bar in excellence and encourages continuing education of every employee. When I am not at work, I spend many of my evenings reading, writing and studying. I love to share my faith with others. I spend time chatting online with Christians in various parts of the US. I learn from their life experiences and enjoy sharing holy moments on the worldwide web. There are a lot of people online, and many of them are seeking answers to life’s big questions. Offering them Christ is a privilege and an opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord.

I like to crochet, scrapbook and attend various fellowship opportunities at my church on the weekends. I am especially happy when I can spend time playing with my grandchildren. I like to give my children a hard time, I think every mothers lives for those priceless moments of sheer genius. Occasionally, I get to sit on the sofa and snuggle with my husband. Now that is a nice way to spend an evening. I truly have a wonderful life, and the Lord has blessed me with some amazing people who surround me daily in prayer and choose to love me, even when I get a little tired and out of sorts.

Do you ever get tired and cranky? I had no idea how tired I could feel until I found myself fighting iron deficiency anemia. Feeling tired has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Poor Elijah! He had been fighting the good fight for a long time. He had gotten to the place where he believed he was the only one out there on the battle ground. Desperate for a little rest and revelation, he headed into the desert alone to pour out his soul to God. He was so tired that he just wanted to die. His pitiful prayer sounds very familiar to me. Dear Lord, I am no better off than my family. I have had enough of this life. Just let me die right here, Lord. I am so very done. Have you ever feel so tired that you were more than ready to pack it all in and give up?

God visited an exhausted prophet that day in the desert. Surprisingly, the Lord did not reveal himself in the large catastrophic events of an earthquake, tornado or fire. Elijah recognized the presence of God in the sound of a gentle whisper. How does God speak to you? I hear His voice as I read and study His Word each day. Sometimes, I can feel His amazing touch when I’m on my knees in prayer. The one place where the Lord chooses to reveal Himself to me is when I’m resting. There are times when I will hear Him speak to my heart through a dream, as I lay in the sleepy haze of an early morning encounter. He wakes me up each day as I stumble to the study with my Bible and a bottle of water in hand. Isn’t it amazing that we look for God to reveal himself in miraculous, life-changing moments, and yet, He comes to us in whispers in the quiet, peaceful moments of our life. Elijah needed some tender loving care, and when he cried out in utter despair, the Lord showed up in the quiet and stillness of rest.

Are you looking for a little revelation to help you get through this day? Stop. Take time to put your feet up. Grab your Bible and ask the Lord to speak to your heart. He will give you perfect peace, when you focus your whole heart and mind on Him.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the Lord to reveal Himself to you in the moments of divine rest. His revelation is all you need to get your percolator perking again! He’s better than the strongest cup of coffee, sweeter than that jelly donut you just consumed, and His love in your life will last forever. Hang on baby. There is revelation is rest, when you let the Lord of life hold your heart.
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