Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 5, 2020
I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. Psalm 16:8-9 (NJKV)
Our ability to rest is directly tied to the nearness of God and his protective hand. As it says elsewhere in the Psalms, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, When men rose up against us, Then they would have swallowed us alive” (Psalm 124:2-3a). Since the earliest of times, humans have longed for rest and hoped for a peaceful way of life, yet have also been fully aware of the countless forces of evil that stand against this way of rest. These enemies are real and ever present, yet thanks be to God, the light of his love is greater than the depths of darkness that assail us from within and plague us from without.
You likely face in this season of life, countless reasons to feel anxious or fearful. Perhaps you or a loved one are in a highly vulnerable category, and as this pandemic rages on, you fear for your own physical well-being. On the other hand, though you may face limited physical risks, your spirit may be flooded with confusion at every turn as you frantically try to navigate the economic uncertainty of our global market. There are very real pressures upon each of us in this moment that daily push against us. The question is whether or not they will uproot us and push us over, or, like King David reminds us, with the Lord at our side, as we feel the pressure closing in, will we “not be moved?”
In order to rest in hope, we must learn to calm the sea that rages both in our souls and in our physical bodies. You will never find peace if you tend to only one and not the other. God has made us as integrated human beings, body and soul working in inseparable and beautiful harmony. Yes, our heart must celebrate the nearness of God and live at peace with our neighbor. And yet, notice how in the same breath David speaks of “his flesh” finding rest and hope. Do not discount the vital importance of a good night’s rest, healthy nutrition, and physical exercise.
Learning to rest, body and soul, is an essential habit of followers of Christ who rest in the hope that he is with us and will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6)!
Prayer
Father, help us to rest in you, living with hopeful anticipation that you will heal us fully and completely, body and soul. Amen.
Application
Is your battle more closely tied to anxiety in your soul or a lack of physical rest for your body? How can your hope in God begin to transform both aspects of your life?
Related Reading
Psalm 121:5; Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:8-11
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