July 26, 2004

[Rev. Doc]

Rest

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28

We all need a time of rest. Jesus and the disciples set aside time to gather their strength. Even better is to rest in the Lord, to allow Him not only to refresh you physically, but spiritually as well.

According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.

Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, "Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bows implies."

The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained, "If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it."

Prayer: Ask God to help you get the rest you need in order to be an effective servant for Him.

"Carry some quiet around inside thee." ~George Fox, Quaker