How we see God is determined by what we expect from him.

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

Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
Psalm 116:7 English Standard Version

The Mary Murphy mine, not far from St. Elmo, was quite active from 1870 to 1925 producing $4.4 million worth of gold. Over 400 miners worked the mine, some of whom stayed at this bunkhouse near the tramway building at over 12,000 feet in elevation.

Mary Murphy Mine, Colorado

Life wasn’t easy for these miners. Life isn’t always easy for us.

I can imagine miners rolling out of bed in the dead of winter, facing feet of new snow, wondering why they were hauling ore out of Chrysolite Mountain. These miners probably didn’t see much of $4.4 million produced by the mine. Danger faced them everyday. Would a portion of the mine collapse? Would equipment fail? Would someone fail to notice a dangerous situation?

There were no guarantees that all would go well, and that life would be easy.

We human creatures expect God to be the almighty Foreman who prevents accidents from happening and who makes us happy. We might shake an angry fist at God and threaten to go on strike if God doesn’t do a better job creating that easy life for us.

God knows that life is hard and he invites us into his rest. God’s rest is more than a feeling of calmness. His rest involves trusting in his presence as we experience the storms of life. He invites us into his heart of forgiveness, compassion and mercy. He invites us into his gracious arms.

You might feel like a miner rolling out bed in the dead of winter. May you hear today the invitation to enter God’s rest for he has dealt bountifully with you in his Son, Jesus Christ.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner