Everyday Christian Living: Receive and Rest
Psalm 37:7a
“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…”
"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Philippians 4:19 - 20).
"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not get upset because of one who is successful in his way, because of the person who carries out wicked schemes” (Psalm 37:7).
Our Christian faith is an everyday faith. It is NOT just a faith for Sunday mornings when we are around our church friends. The Christian faith is to be lived out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Following Christ is a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, and day-by-day faith. But the question is how? How do we live out the Christian life every day? How do we make every day count for Jesus?
That is the question we are considering and that is the purpose of this blog series. Last week we considered the words reflect and rejoice. Following Christ includes taking time each day to reflect on the goodness of God. I hope you took some time this week, even perhaps today, to think about the goodness of God in your life. Likewise, I hope you are taking time each day to rejoice in the coming of the Lord. By beginning each day, even before you get out of your bed, reflecting on God’s goodness and rejoicing in His coming will help you live every day for Jesus.
But there is more!
In fact, today let’s consider two more words that will help us live every day for Christ. Today, let’s think about the words “receive” and “rest.”
Receive
Each morning, I reach out my arms forward with my hands open and say, “Lord, I gladly receive whatever you bring my way today.” That is both the attitude and posture I hope you will consider. In order to live every day for Christ, simply begin the day with a heart open to whatever blessings God will bring your way.
"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Before we go too far with this, there is something we must understand. God brings blessings our way each day. Some are physical blessings. Others are spiritual blessings. And so I encourage you to open up your hands each day and say, “Lord, I receive whatever it is you bring my way today.”
But wait a minute, there is an obvious question to consider. What if the very thing God wants to give us doesn’t appear to be a blessing? What if He brings a family member’s death, a termination from work, or a financial disaster in your business? What if the very thing I am to receive from God is not at all what I hoped? The truth is, we have all had that happen. We have all had the phone call we wish we had never received. We have all had the conversation with the boss we wish we could take back. We have all had events that did not seem like a blessing at all.
The key is to recognize that even the tragedies of our lives pass through the loving hands of our Father. Our job is not to say, “God I only want the good”. Our job is to say, “God, I receive, with arms stretched out wide and hands opened up, whatever you want to give me today.” And then we wait and trust for Him to work Romans 8:28 in our lives.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT).
Rest
That leads me to the next word for us to consider today, the word “rest.” Living the Christ life every day of our lives includes…
Reflecting on His goodness
Rejoicing in His coming, and
Receiving His blessings.
But it also includes resting in His sovereign control. I don’t know about you, but I loathe bad news. And I have to tell you that I have spent more than enough time in my life trying to keep bad things from happening. I guess you might call that being a “control freak.” But there is something we all have to admit. Regardless of how much we try to control things, God brings His will for us into our lives. And that is where the word rest comes into play.
I can live the everyday Christian life resting in the truth that regardless of what occurs in my life, God is in sovereign control.
The word sovereign has another word in it; that is the word reign. And that helps us to understand the sovereignty of God. Let’s think of it this way. There is never a time that God is not in control. There is never a circumstance that surprises God. There is never a person who has out-witted, out-smarted, or out-maneuvered God. He is in constant control and He is always reigning!
Not only can I receive whatever God wants to give me, but I can also rest in knowing that in whatever He gives me, He is absolutely sovereign over it. Dr. Adrian Rogers used to say, “The Holy Trinity never has to call an emergency session,” Now THAT is a great thought.
Today’s Challenge
Resting when the circumstances are not what we hoped is one of the most difficult challenges in living the Christ life. If you have ever asked God, “Why?” or “How could You allow?” then you know what I mean. My challenge to you today is not only to reflect on His goodness and rejoice in His coming but to add to that receive His blessings (even if they don’t look like blessings) and rest in His sovereign control.
Here is a verse you might memorize and hold onto as you live today and every day for Jesus.
“Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1 - 4).