Thursday, October 7, 2010

a little folding of the hands

Isaiah 28-29

I still haven't figured this one out:

 Isa 28:12 God has told his people,
   "Here is a place of rest;
      let the weary rest here.
   This is a place of quiet rest."

Matt 11:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

Practically, how do you balance these two passages with the following?

Col 3:23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men ...

Prov 6:9
How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
       When will you get up from your sleep?

 10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
       a little folding of the hands to rest-

 11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit
       and scarcity like an armed man.

How do I know when I am not working hard enough to honor the Lord, and how do I know when I am a slacker?  How do you know how much work you should invest in the startup of a new job?  I feel like I am working way too much, but at the same time I am falling further and further behind at work.  How do I reconcile these?

Heavenly Father, please give me clear wisdom and discernment to correctly see my vocation through your perspective.  Lord, I want to work for you with all my heart.  And I don't want to be a slacker, but Lord, I need some rest.  I know that you will carry me; please show me how to live a balanced, sustainable life.  I love you, Lord, and I want my life to count for eternity.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment