“My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14. This verse was on my mind both before and since my surgery 10 days ago. I chose this verse because I was a bit nervous about the surgery and I knew the one thing that would calm me most was knowing that God was going to be with me. And He was. The morning of the surgery I felt a sense of calmness I can’t really describe. At that moment is was as if I could actually feel friends and family praying for me and asking God to be with me. I could feel His presence and it comforted me.
My husband and I are currently reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson with a book group from our church. Every chapter has been filled with things going on in our justice system that are really hard to understand and accept. One of our book group members asked, “Where is God in all of this?” while we were talking about a particular chapter in the book where a woman had been wrongly sentenced to life without parole. Another member said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “I know when I am struggling, I pray for God to be with me. I can only imagine that Marsha (the woman in the book) must have too.” When we feel like life is so unfair, we have been deeply hurt or we are consumed by worry, guilt or shame, the most comforting thing is to know that God is present with us. Not only is He with us but He is there loving us, comforting us and giving us the strength to go on.
I love the second part of this verse, too. “I will give you rest”. The word rest, as a noun, is defined as “an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in stressful or strenuous activity”. No matter what season of life we are in right now, we all need rest. The year 2020 has especially been a difficult year for all of us. I know we could use a rest from the worry and stress living with a pandemic and social and political unrest has caused. Our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual lives have been put to the test this year. Lucky for us, we have a God who understands this and commands us to rest. Yes, it is ok to take a break! Rest and refresh yourselves whenever possible. I have some of my favorite examples, but there are many other scripture verses to support this!
“Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28
“[The Lord] makes me lie down in green pasture, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” – Psalm 23:2-3
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.” – Deuteronomy 33:12 (p.s. from me: YOU are the beloved this verse is speaking about!)
“Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, ‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest”. – Mark 6:31 (p.s. from me again: this is for all you busy parents!)
I have been so blessed these past 10 days. I have had friends and family praying for me and encouraging me; I had a wonderful surgeon who comforted me by holding and gently rubbing my hand as I was put to sleep by anesthesia; and, I have an amazing husband who has allowed me to truly rest by doing EVERYTHING! I pray that you, too, will find rest in the presence of God.
Love, Melissa
Next week’s verse is coming from the Parable of the Lost Son found in Luke 15. Verse 32 says “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
Melissa Pillone Speaks 