Pull Over and Stop

Are visions of sirens and lights flashing in your mind right now?

Do you feel that uneasiness that comes along with the moment you realize you were speeding?

The officer walks up to the car, asks for your license and registration while you sweat it out trying to figure out what you can say to this person so that they will let you go with just a warning.

Inhale.

Breathe.

Panic.

No, scratch that, breathe again.

At this point you are probably already praying like crazy too, right?

Yet each of us speed through our lives rushing from this to that to another that each and every day without taking any time to pull over and stop.

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2 NLT

Did you know that the word rest is in the NLT Bible five hundred and eight times.

Five hundred plus times.

Oh.my.word!

This is absolutely a very important point that God is trying to tell us. We get so wrapped up the things on our to-do lists, the laundry, the kids activities, work, ministry, our husbands, our schedules, our jobs, etc. that sometimes we just forget that we need to rest.

He lets me rest in green meadows;he leads me beside peaceful streams. Psalm 23:2 NLT

Sweet sisters, do you see that?

He “lets” me rest.

Not He “makes” me, or He “suggests”, but simply He lets you rest.

So then, why are we not letting ourselves rest?

You don’t have to listen to the world when it says you have to be a super productive, workaholic, worn out woman. Yes, you should be productive, yes you should do your work for the glory of God, but you also need that time to rest.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. Colossians 2:8 NLT

If He rested and He lets us rest, then why are we not taking Him up on His offer to Pull Over and Stop for a little while?

Father God, thank you that you let us rest. Forgive us Father when we get so caught up in doing things either for this world or for you and forget to rest. Thank you that you love us so much that you have seen to it that we have plenty of examples of how to rest in your Word. We love you Father, in Jesus precious and holy name, Amen.

6 Responses to Pull Over and Stop
  1. Jill Bernard
    September 18, 2010 | 8:50 am

    Oh my goodness I needed this reminder today! I’m out the door at 6:45 A.M. each day and didn’t return home until after 10 P.M. one day this past week. Now the weekend is here and there’s so much to do on the homefront and church, that I feel guilty to even consider “resting”, let alone actually do it! Glad I stopped by “5 Minutes for Faith”; I’ll be looking for a “peaceful stream” somewhere, somehow, today! Thanks Melissa!!

    • Mel's World with Melissa Mashburn
      September 20, 2010 | 8:26 am

      Jill, you are such a sweet encouragement to so many, thank you for being such a JOY for me and those around you. You DO deserve to rest, you are allowed to pull over and stop sometimes too my friend! Praying you find that this week!
      xoxo, Melissa 🙂

  2. Barbie
    September 19, 2010 | 12:02 am

    God calls His children to rest. But it is something that is so hard for us, to stop and take a load off and just sit quietly in His presence. Thank you for this reminder today!

    • Mel's World with Melissa Mashburn
      September 20, 2010 | 8:28 am

      You are so welcome Barbie, I was absolutely writing as much to myself as to anyone. It was like He was trying to get my attention by each and every word that was written. Thankful for you and your encouragement, xoxo, Melissa

  3. Gina Conroy
    September 25, 2010 | 8:57 am

    I’ve been resting a lot this week because my warn out body has been protesting. Thanks for the reminder!

    • Mel's World with Melissa Mashburn
      October 5, 2010 | 2:22 pm

      Good for you Gina…we have to do a better job of listening to our bodies, instead of pushing pushing and pushing (which is what I so often try to do). xoxo