[Membersandfriends] Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Mon Nov 1 22:01:30 PST 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Tuesday, November 02, 2004

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The Upper Room in Large Print

If the type in THE UPPER ROOM Daily Devotional is too small for you or for someone you know, you have an option. THE UPPER ROOM, Large Print Edition has type that's nearly twice the size of regular print.  Learn more about or order online at: http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?item_id=12893&ep_id=245
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REST
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Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV)

[Jesus said,] "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

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Jesus said, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
- Mark 6:31 (NIV)
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I have had a serious medical condition for six years.  Frequent rest, sometimes several times a day, has been a vital part of my slow recovery process.  These hours of inactivity have frustrated me.  If I did not need to rest, I could be doing many other things: seeing a neighbor, helping a friend, volunteering to help at the school.  Slowly I have come to realize that rest times are important to my deepening relationship with God.  Because of my illness, I have had the privilege of resting in God's presence, spending time with God and allowing God to spend time with me.  I discovered that by being still, I can travel a long way with God.

"Come to me . . . and I will give you rest," Jesus said.  What a beautiful invitation this is!  We are invited to come to Christ with our burdens, our frustrations, and our pains -- no matter what they are.  We are offered true rest in listening to Christ, learning to walk with him, and allowing him to shape our lives.  Let us take time today to simply bask in the Lord's presence and find rest.

Prayer:  Thank you, God, for your invitation to come to you and to rest.  Help us to rest in your presence on even our busiest days.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Christ calls us to come away and rest in God's presence.

-- Sue Morton (Buckinghamshire, England)

PRAYER FOCUS: Busy people

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RELATED READING ...

QUIET SPACES: Prayer Interludes for Women, by Patricia Wilson, is a book for today's busy women. Readers will learn how to calm the mind and listen for God's still small voice in the midst of the chaos of daily life. Read more about or purchase this book online.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=70810

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.