A Call to Rest

June 24, 2008

Lar,

Great job keeping up with the blogging as of late.  I have been more than a little scattered lately and know that I have been taking on too many things.  And trusting in completing those things rather than in the Savior.  My various functional gods have certainly left me worn out and rest has been difficult to come by.  But I read something tonight that helped me gain much needed perspective.  It didn’t change everything right away.  Still hasn’t, but it served as a needed exhortation to trust in Jesus Christ and not in what I do (or, as has been much more accurate as of late, what I fail to do).

It’s a poem I wrote about 2 years ago, entitled, “A Call to Rest.”  I wrote another poem designed to be read in the morning about 2 months prior to this one (entitled, “A Call to Battle”).  It’s a good one, I believe, but after consistently failing to embody all that I exhorted myself to in the first, I felt compelled one night to write the following words.  I am glad that I did.  For even though I had to answer ‘No’ (more or less) to every question I posed, I was greatly encouraged by the final exhortation.  When down, it is good to be reminded of good news!

This day is now in closing,
It is prime-time to reflect:
Did you fight for joy in Jesus
Or live just like the rest?

Did you heed the call to battle?
Fight the fight of faith?
Walk by God the Spirit?
Struggle by His grace?

Did you pursue His glory
Or chase after your own?
Did earthly comforts capture you
Or joys of your heavenly home?

Did you wait upon His Person?
Seek His will and word?
Stretch your heart unto the nations
Who’ve never seen nor heard?

Did you embrace the trials,
No matter large or small
And see God in the details
Working good within them all?

All this is to ask simply,
Were you faithful with your lot?
Did the beauty of your Savior
Shine bright or did it not?

No matter your honest answer,
Think one thing before you rest:
If your hope is all in Jesus,
He’s now your righteousness.

Let no boasting rise within you,
Save in the cross of Christ,
And no sorrow overtake you,
For Christ is now your life.

This day is done and over,
What you missed, God only knows,
Throw your head upon the pillow,
Trusting Christ—your soul’s repose.

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Quotes, Seeking Him, Uncategorized 

Comments

Got something to say?