Gifts of Lent: Rest & Remember

Lent offers a beautiful opportunity to experiment with all kinds of spiritual disciplines. This year, come along with me as we try on two: Rest and Remembering.

Who doesn’t love to receive a gift? The thrill of seeing your name on the tag of a beautifully wrapped box, the curiosity of guessing what’s inside, the excitement of unwrapping.

Is that ever how we view rest? When you are a parent of littles, rest can feel like a golden promise always just out of reach. When you are focused on your career, rest is the hoped-for reward of Someday. But what if you saw rest as a gift, just waiting for you to open?

Sometimes, if we’re honest, we’re afraid to rest. Which of the spinning plates will fall if you take my eyes off them? I get that. I’m someone that (to my children’s chagrin) usually has at least thirty tabs open in her browser. I explain that it’s just a picture of my brain. These are things that I need to get back to, things that I don’t want to forget to finish. Things that depend on me.

But, really, how many things in this world actually depend on me? And how many do I take on to feel like I have control of my life or that I’m important or to impress others who are likely too busy with all their own spinning plates to even notice mine?

Rest is an invitation to let all the plates still. An opportunity to fall into the arms of the only One upon whom it all actually depends.

In Exodus 16 Moses tells the Israelites to gather enough manna for two days on Saturday, because none will appear on Sunday. They were to intentionally plan to rest; to prepare for it. Let’s give it a go! Choose a day (many use Saturday or Sunday), cook a little extra, protect it from appointments and duties. Plan to spend some time with the One who calls you to come and rest. Here’s a place to start:

Genesis 2:3, Exodus 16:23, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 91, Proverbs 19:23, Isaiah 40:31