Butterflies Walking?

 “For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. ~Hebrews 4:10 NIV

One time I told a friend’s mother, (who was obviously stressed out about a lot of different things in her life) that Jesus said that we could come to Him and rest, to learn of Him and to take His yoke upon us for His “yoke is easy and His burden is light”. She responded: “That’s for after you die! I don’t want to die yet!”

It was a slightly amusing response, but mostly a sad one. Sadder still, when I consider the lack of rest that I see in my own life, and in so many believers’ lives.  I am not speaking here of sleep deprivation, I am writing about an addiction to busy-ness in the Name of the Lord. A subtle pride (or fear) that causes us to think we have to “work harder for God” than everyone else.

There were times when Jesus didn’t heal everyone or meet every need when He walked the earth (though, of course He could have). Jesus Himself said, “I only do what I see the Father doing. The Father in Me does the works”. Was Jesus not being compassionate? Or is there some wisdom here for us?! 

Major Ian W. Thomas in his powerful book- “The Saving Life Of Christ” puts it this way: “Serving God in our own strength is like someone giving us a fine automobile that we proceed to push wherever we are trying to go. We make some small progress, we are going in the right direction, we are sincere … and we are sincerely exhausted.” (my paraphrase)

He goes on to write that it is much better to utilize the power of the engine and operate the car the way it was designed. We were never designed to serve God in our own ability, we are “naturally supernatural” through the Word and Spirit of God in us!

Watchman Nee said: “Only Jesus Christ has ever lived the normal Christian life and only He can… so stop trying to live it, and let Jesus live His life in you through the power of the Holy Spirit!” (again my paraphrase).

The Apostle Paul put it this way: “I live, nevertheless not I, but Christ lives in me.” 2 Cor. 5:17 says that “if anyone be in Christ, he (or she) is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.”

We have not received the “rat-race” spirit of the world, the spirit that says do more, try harder; but the Spirit of God Who says, “it’s not your effort that pleases me, it’s your being my son or daughter through Christ.” This gives us confidence to lead in worship knowing that God already receives us!

As I travel and share, I often speak about how sad it would be for a caterpillar, who crawled facedown all its’ life, after risking the cocoon and becoming a beautiful butterfly, still insisted on walking everywhere, dragging those beautiful, heavy wings behind it.

Yet how many of us are butterflies walking?

Isaiah 40:31 says: but those who hope in the LORD will renew (exchange) their strength.
       They will soar on wings like eagles…  (or butterflies maybe?)

As we enter into the Life and Rest of Christ, then the works that God has prepared from of old for us will be done through us. Jesus said it this way: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.  (John 15:16a NIV)

Not inactivity but God’s activity in us!

The church at large is in a transition from being a task-oriented group into a relationship-oriented family. The task is important: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

However, the task is secondary to the relationship, in fact, the reason FOR the task is relationship! God wants an eternal love relationship with mankind.

Prayer:  “Lord teach us how to live in love with You, with each other, with ourselves and even, by Your grace, to love our enemies.  Help us to enter, by faith into Your rest, to exchange our strength and life for Yours, to soar as the new creation Your grace has made us to be, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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1. My Strength and My Song
2. So Who Are We Worshipping?… The Forgotten Trinity
3. Kingdom of Priests – Priesthood of Kings!
4. How You Worship Defines How You Live