Rest

The Lord will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land. (Isaiah 58:11) 

Those who invest in stocks or corporations do so in order to make a certain percentage of money on top of what they first invested. In the financial world, this is known as an “ROI”—a Return on Investment. 

This concept from the world of business and high finance can help us understand a key spiritual principle: God rewards us when we invest our time and effort in him. In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah explains that those who spend time caring for the needy and honoring the Sabbath will be rewarded with a “spring whose water never fails” (58:11). That’s like having an infinite return on investment!

But Isaiah isn’t talking only about the time we invest in doing; he is also asking us to spend time resting, or keeping the Sabbath holy.

It’s easy to think that Sunday is a good time to catch up on work and other projects. But God promises that if you take time to step back from your own endeavors on the Sabbath, he will renew you. If you can find a way to put aside your to-do list—even if it’s just for a couple of hours—he will make up the difference in ways you might not expect. You’ll discover the divine irony that doing less actually results in greater gains!

So what can you expect to happen if you set aside a portion of each Sunday this Lent to rest in the Lord? Perhaps by slowing down and relaxing, you’ll find it easier to sense the Lord’s presence. Maybe you’ll discover that you have more time to sit down with your spouse or a child or friend, and learn more about what’s on their heart. Then when you come to the end of the day, you might feel more grateful because you have been able to see more clearly the many ways God has blessed you.

Sharp investors are always on the lookout for a solid return, but they know there is always a risk involved in any transaction. And that’s precisely where this analogy breaks down. There is no risk with the Lord. Anyone who invests in him—especially on his day of rest—is guaranteed to reap a wonderful return. That’s how faithful God is! 

“Lord, help me to honor the Sabbath this Lent by resting with you.” 

from wau.org

Just come

Let the children come to me. (Mark 10:14) 

If you have ever been around little kids for an extended length of time, you know that they are not picture-perfect little angels. Some run around and knock things over, others ask embarrassing questions, and some can’t help but interrupt their parents’ conversations. The kids who gathered around Jesus were no different. There was probably a mix of all kinds of personalities and dispositions—some were rambunctious, some were shy, some were inquisitive, and some were demanding. But no matter how different they were, each of them was attracted to Jesus. And he welcomed them all! In a culture where children were taught to keep out of the way, Jesus wanted them to come closer so that he could bless them. “Let them come,” he said.

Jesus looks at us in the same way. He doesn’t mind if we don’t have it all together. He doesn’t expect us to act perfectly around him. He just wants to be close to us. He knows that each of us deeply desires to be welcomed, to be valued, to belong. And that’s exactly what Jesus wants to tell us. It doesn’t matter whether or not we feel worthy; it doesn’t matter whether or not we fit some ideal of what a friend of Jesus looks like. He just wants us to come to him. 

With that in mind, read this passage again, and imagine all the different kinds of children who were brought to Jesus. Think about the love and patience he must have had. Think about his overflowing joy as he interacted with them, both as a group and individually. Think about how he loved and blessed each one in a special way. 

Now, picture yourself as one of those children. Imagine he’s looking at you as all the others are milling around. He says, “Don’t be afraid,” and holds out his hand. He already knows you inside and out, and he welcomes you. He doesn’t want you to feel unworthy. He sees the goodness that he has put inside of you, and he knows the kind of person you can become. Your rough edges will be smoothed. Can you hear him inviting you? Go ahead and run to him! 

“Jesus, help me to draw near to you like a child.” 

from wau.org

Resting in th Lord

Come away . . . and rest. (Mark 6:31) 

What a gracious, kind invitation Jesus made to the Twelve! It seemed that everyone wanted something from him—healing, deliverance, advice, even a good theological dispute. But Jesus made sure that he spent time with his apostles so that he could teach them how to find rest in God’s presence. He wanted to help them find the right balance between serving God and letting God serve them and tend to their needs.

Balance. Isn’t that one of the biggest challenges we all face? In a world that emphasizes accomplishments and achievement, the call to sit quietly with the Lord and receive his blessing can sound narrow and self-indulgent. But the truth is that everyone needs to spend time alone with Jesus. We all need to come to him in the quiet of our hearts and let him minister to us. For without this time alone, we will have nothing to offer the people we are serving and caring for.

Writing about prayer, the Jesuit theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once said, “Harassed by life, exhausted, we look about us for somewhere to be quiet, to be genuine, a place of refreshment. We yearn to restore our spirits in God, to simply let go in him and gain new strength to go on living. . . . In a field of quiet, there lies waiting for us a hidden treasure.”

Don’t give up on that treasure! Don’t let the world convince you that you have all the resources you need to face the challenges of life! Every day, Jesus has special gifts set aside for you—treasures that he knows you will need as you face the ups and downs of the day. These treasures may include a verse from Scripture that you can share with a loved one, a warm embrace from his Spirit to support you in a tough situation, or a dose of courage to help you in the fight against temptation.

So take Jesus’ words to heart today. He is calling you right now: “Come away with me.” Carve out a time and a place where you can go with him to rest, to be taught, and to be loved. 

“Thank you, Jesus, for calling me to your side. Here I am, Lord! Come and fill me up.” 

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He knows your name

Even as we begin this year, may we remember that He is with us

Confidence

I am confident and unafraid. (Isaiah 12:2) 

Confidence. It’s something we all want and need. But what’s the source of our confidence? The world says it’s because of who we are and what we are capable of doing. But as Christians, we believe it’s because of who God is and what he has already done for us. 

In today’s psalm response, Isaiah declares that he is confident because his “strength” and “courage is the Lord” (12:2). And in the first reading, Paul says we have confidence through our faith in Jesus (Ephesians 3:12). Of course, it’s easy to say that our confidence comes from God. But how can we make this spiritual truth affect the way we live each day? Here are a few suggestions.

Our true confidence lies in knowing, deep down, that we have a Father in heaven who loves us and is always with us. We can lean on him at all times, and trust that he will supply all that we need. So try to get into the habit of thanking God for his love and faithfulness. The more you consciously express your gratitude, the more confident you will become that God always has your back. 

It’s easy to feel confident when things are going well. But when we face challenges that we don’t know how to handle, our confidence can quickly shrivel up. Again, you can make the conscious decision to surrender the situation to God. Even if you don’t “feel” any different, even if you keep taking back your surrender, keep it up. God sees your faith, and he will find a way to show you that he is still with you to help you and to guide you. 

Finally, you can build your confidence in God by recalling stories about his faithfulness in the Scriptures and the lives of the saints. Remember how God parted the Red Sea when the Israelites were literally up against a wall (of water). Remember how God helped David defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:46). Remember how Mother Teresa pressed on against enormous odds to keep caring for the poorest of the poor. Tell yourself, “God helped them, and he will help me.”

We can never exhaust God’s strength and courage. So be confident that you can rely on the One who will give you all you need! 

“Father, you are my strength!”

from wau.org

Don't be hindered

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. (Matthew 9:13) 

Despised as a collaborator with the Romans, Matthew knew that his job as a tax collector was nothing to be proud of. Or at least he shouldn’t have been proud to be a tax collector. His hard-earned wealth only brought him contempt and rejection from his own people. He probably endured snide remarks from his townspeople, and it’s possible that he had begun to believe them. Whatever he thought, when he heard Jesus call him, Matthew did not hesitate. All his sinful ways, all the ways he had mistreated people, and all the unworthiness that must have accompanied such behavior dissipated. There was something special about Jesus, and Matthew was not about to let any obstacle—real or perceived—stand in his way.

It can be easy to buy into the lie that you are unworthy to answer Jesus’ call. Don’t believe it! Don’t imagine that your sins or weaknesses have convinced Jesus to pass you by in favor of a more worthy candidate. Remember what he said to the people who objected to his calling of Matthew: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). We are all sinners, and still, Jesus calls all of us: “Follow me” (9:9). He wants you to be with him.

So don’t let your sins and failings hinder your yes to the Lord. Quite the opposite—they are the perfect opportunity to show the world how merciful he is. Tradition tells us that Matthew went on to evangelize the very Jews he had once scandalized. The evidence of his change of heart must have made a deep impression on many of them. 

Today, if you are feeling unworthy, remember Matthew. Remember God’s kindness and mercy toward him. Remember the freedom and joy he felt when he left his old life behind and accepted Jesus’ invitation. God has called you and chosen you because he loves you just as much as he loved Matthew. He wants to silence that voice of unworthiness. Whether Jesus is calling you to leave behind a pattern of sin, to grow closer to him in prayer, to serve your community in a new way, or some combination of all three, say yes. Jump at his invitation, and let him change your life.

“Jesus, thank you for the invitation to follow you. Help me to say yes to your call!”

So much more

Stretch out your hand. (Luke 6:10) 

Critics play an important role in the music world. They help the public to evaluate what is good, and by doing so, they set standards for music. But critics can also be closed to anything new or different. For example, one of Bach’s students called his music “turgid and confused.” A contemporary of Mozart called his music “overloaded and overstuffed.” One critic said of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: “It was hard to figure out what all the noise was about.”

You could say that some Pharisees of Jesus’ day had become like those critics. In their zeal to preserve the Law, they had attached their own limited expectations to it. One of those limitations was that they taught that curing the sick was forbidden on the Sabbath—unless the sick person was in danger of death. The man whom Jesus healed in the synagogue had only a withered hand, so that clearly didn’t qualify. These Pharisees weren’t willing to admit that God could go beyond their assumptions of what the Law was all about.

This attitude can affect us as well. We can view our own assumptions about God as being the only thing that matters, and end up limiting him as a result. But our heavenly Father wants to take us beyond our expectations, both of who he is and of who we can become. He is not interested in healing you just enough so that you can squeak your way into heaven. He is a generous Father. He wants to fill you with so much grace that you dance through his gates joyfully, bringing countless people behind you whose lives you have touched!

Do you think it’s possible that you can know the Lord even more deeply than you do right now? Do you think it’s possible that you might be able to pray with someone and see them healed? Don’t be like those music critics with their limited expectations! God has great plans for you. So go ahead and stretch out your hand in faith and see how God fills you with his life, his love, and his power.

“Lord, open my eyes. Help me to see how much you have blessed me in the past, so that I can be open to receive your grace in the future.”

from wau.org