FINDING REST

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

FINDING REST

READ:  Psalm 23

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of

righteousness for His name’s sake.  Psalm 23:3

According to a survey conducted by an insurance company, one of every six workers in the U.S. feels too busy to take all the vacation days he or she has earned.  Even though studies show that a week’s holiday each year can dramatically reduce stress and the risk of heart attack, many people just keep working.

A vacation can be good for body and soul.  But many people don’t have the luxury of time away from work and daily responsibilities.  What can we do when we must remain in demanding circumstances?

Psalm 23 paints a beautiful word picture of a caring shepherd, secure sheep, and a tranquil scene of quiet meadows and still waters.  But it is the Lord, our shepherd, who gives rest, not the green grass or the flowing stream.  “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (v.3).

Rest is a place of peace that our spirits find in God.  Neither the presence of those who oppose us nor the dark valley of death can keep us from what hymn writer Cleland McAfee called “a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God.”  Through prayer and meditation on His Word, we can commune with Him.  In the Lord’s presence we can experience the rest and renewal we so desperately need.  DCM

There is a place of comfort sweet,

Near to the heart of God,

A place where we our Savior meet,

Near to the heart of God. -McAfee

Spending quiet time with God will bring quiet rest from God.