by Rev Douglas Brauner

The importance of resting in Jesus.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

This is not the first blog I’ve written that centers around a park bench. I love the idea of resting on benches like this one, but I hardly ever do. In fact, I didn’t sit on this bench the day that I took this picture. I walked around the bench and composed the picture that I wanted to take, a picture that would tell a story. I then adjusted the camera to capture that story. I pushed the shutter button and left.

Palmer Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

There were more pictures that I needed to take that day. I didn’t have time to sit and enjoy the view that I now enjoy when I look at this pic.

Isn’t that the way life is? We don’t have time to do something that benefits us. We don’t have time to sit on that park bench, rest, and enjoy the God-given view. We have places to be, people to see, and things to do.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
Psalm 62:5 New Living Translation

We need to refresh our souls, that core part of who we are as creatures of God. Our souls need time on the park bench with God, waiting on him to lead, guide, and direct our lives. It is not good for our souls to be constantly moving, dwelling in the future, or reflecting on the past and not savoring today.

God’s grace sets us free to enjoy his presence. Jesus has satisfied God’s anger for our sin. He is not impressed with our busy lives. He simply wants to dwell in a relationship with us.

There is a relationship between hope and our need to be busy. We hope that by doing a lot of stuff, our souls will be refreshed. However, the psalmist understood that our souls will only find rest in our Creator and Redeemer.

So, we rest in his grace and find hope in our relationship with him.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado