Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Beside Still Water

Hebrews 4:8-9

Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. (NLT)

“As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day ‘Thy will be done.’ We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves. (Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 87-88)

Special rest
waits
for us, for God’s folk.
Special rest in a pause,
in reality check on show-running,
in trading will-power
for the will of God.
Danger dissipates,
fear dissolves,
foot-in-mouth syndrome cured.
Special rest
rewarded by more energy
than ever could be crammed
in any miniscule bottle
for ransom at cash registers.

God, lead me by still waters,
restore my soul,
fill my cup brimful,
the overflow a salve.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

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