Next Thoughts on Rest

In my Blog "The Tiredness of the Copycat" I touched on the subject of rest.  I want to address another place where the subject of rest is mentioned.  In the great scene of Exodus 33 where Moses and God are speaking about the days ahead for the people of God, God says this, "The Lord replied, 'My presence will go with you and I will give you rest'."  Moses did not want to go anywhere if God was not going to be along.  Before these words from God, Moses strongly told God that it was of no use if he, in leading the people of God, went ahead with them and God was not along.  It is then where God says he will go along with them with his presence, and his presence would give them rest.

Life, whether we believe it or not, moves forward to some place.  The people of God had to continue moving toward the promise land and what a scary place it would be to move forward without the presence of God and that is why Moses begged God to go with them.  As we have come to this place in our lives where we know God is leading us forward, we have sought God for months to know what to do, where to go, and we have said to him, "We do not want to go anywhere where your presence will not be the thing leading us."  IWe have sensed his presence in the darkest of moments of this decision and we have sensed his leadership throughout.  Though we do not fully know what the days ahead hold, we know his presence is with us and going with us.

How do we know that?  Because we feel the rest of being in his presence.  The journey is never really that easy but we can experience the depth of his presence.  That is what we are doing.  His presence gives rest, contentment, and satisfaction.