Rest in me.........

There has been several times where during prayer the Holy Spirit has spoken this phrase into my heart, "rest in me". It sounds so simple and yet it has been so difficult to obey. It has only been when I laid down all of my religious definitions of God, myself and took a fresh look of faith, and began to meet God in a new, real and authentic way, was I able to start to do just that. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for all that I have learned in life and a lot of my tradition is a gift from God, but we humans tend to lean on ideas and teachings instead of allowing God to meet us in a fresh way. I am thankful for the saints and great people of God before me, but I need to meet God at my own Bethel, and wrestle some things out with God myself.

Because if my faith is not real to me, if it doesn't work in my life then it is useless. No matter who else believes, teaches or proclaims it. This is where I found myself almost 6 years ago. My religion failed me. At the time I thought God did. But I was soon to discover, that it wasn't God who failed me but the church. The church has failed a lot of people. I do not say that as a judgement, or with bitterness, just a fact.

If I haven't offended you by now, then let me push it a little further. This failure of religion and the church was the greatest gift God could have given me. It was in this failure, this crisis of faith that I discovered a pure faith, a real authentic faith and Grace. Not based on any human institution that can't help but be flawed, but on a Real, Faithful and Loving God.

Today, I stand before this God, with all my flaws and nakedness, but unlike Adam, my faith is in the Love of God, and I am not ashamed. I am thankful that in spite of my brokenness and baggage that this life has packed me with, I have found a safe place of healing and rest. Change is not necessary to be loved, it is not required, but it is available. Simply by relationship with God and knowing his love and acceptance, I am transformed not because I have to, I just get to.

I have ceased from my labor and work for God. I now rest and work with God. What is the work God has given, simply this; to Love!

May we be found faithful to know this love and share it with all.....religion will always fail us, but God and God's love will not!








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