Wisdom In 8 Words
Wisdom in Eight Words
It is futile for you to rise up early, To stay up late, To eat the bread of painful labor; This is how He gives to His beloved sleep. Psalm 127:2
God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest.
There's a popular Italian phrase – dolce far niente - which means “the art of doing nothing.” Pleasant idleness. Not everyone understands how to properly rest. I think we like to stay on top of things and control so much of our lives and time as we can. And I admit it's a challenge for me to let go and let God. But if we're going to debate how to rest properly, we can't leave God out of it. As a matter of fact, He has to be the center of it, where we aren't going to enjoy any real rest.
God created our bodies to need rest. Endless health benefits come from releasing stress, disconnecting from work, and getting a good night's sleep. God wouldn't design us to need something that isn't found in Him. We're created in His image. We live and move and have our being in Him. But it's up to us to mentally and physically surrender to His perfect care. We've all been at the end of our day feeling exhausted and ready for bed, and as soon as we lie down, the thought reel starts rolling. This reel is never cued by God. We can't let that happen if we want the sweet sleep that He promises.
A few years ago, I met an elderly gentleman who gave me his advice for getting a good night's sleep. He told me to use the 8 after 8 routine every night. After 8:00 PM, when it's time to start unwinding and think about going to bed, he prepared with eight words: give it to God and go to sleep. He told me it had worked for him for as long as he could remember. I took it as good advice from a wise soul, and I've used it ever since.
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Psalm 127:2 was written by Solomon! Since he is known to be the wisest man to ever live, I believe we should listen to his advice!
How many people have we seen stressed themselves out chasing the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? People work and struggle and strive to seek to build a life while all the time missing what life truly has to offer them.
We all want the new car and the bigger house the fancy clothes and the jewelry. We want our kids to have the best of everything. So, we work until we are exhausted, and while we end up with all this stuff, we have an emptiness in our soul.
Now understand, God does not get tired. But He did rest on the 7th day. Not because He needed the rest but because setting aside a time to just be and enjoy what is in our lives is important.
In the Old Testament God gave the children of Israel the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day was to be a day of rest. As the generations went on, they turned the Sabbath day into a day of rules and regulations, but this was never intended by God. It was to be a day to stop, reflect, and be thankful.
What would life be like for each one of us if we simply enjoyed what God has given to us? How would life be different if we truly understood that the things we acquire are not nearly as valuable as the people God has placed into our lives?
The blessings of family and friends are usually only measured by those who are elderly in our midst, who find their families and friends have passed on leaving them to live life in loneliness. It is my prayer that we would all begin to take stock in the blessings we have been given. That we would value the people God has placed in our lives. That we would invest ourselves and our time into what is most meaningful and not in perishable things like silver and gold.
May God guide you take stock and the blessings you have been given, and rest in His abundant peace.
In Christ,
Pastor Russ
It is futile for you to rise up early, To stay up late, To eat the bread of painful labor; This is how He gives to His beloved sleep. Psalm 127:2
God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest.
There's a popular Italian phrase – dolce far niente - which means “the art of doing nothing.” Pleasant idleness. Not everyone understands how to properly rest. I think we like to stay on top of things and control so much of our lives and time as we can. And I admit it's a challenge for me to let go and let God. But if we're going to debate how to rest properly, we can't leave God out of it. As a matter of fact, He has to be the center of it, where we aren't going to enjoy any real rest.
God created our bodies to need rest. Endless health benefits come from releasing stress, disconnecting from work, and getting a good night's sleep. God wouldn't design us to need something that isn't found in Him. We're created in His image. We live and move and have our being in Him. But it's up to us to mentally and physically surrender to His perfect care. We've all been at the end of our day feeling exhausted and ready for bed, and as soon as we lie down, the thought reel starts rolling. This reel is never cued by God. We can't let that happen if we want the sweet sleep that He promises.
A few years ago, I met an elderly gentleman who gave me his advice for getting a good night's sleep. He told me to use the 8 after 8 routine every night. After 8:00 PM, when it's time to start unwinding and think about going to bed, he prepared with eight words: give it to God and go to sleep. He told me it had worked for him for as long as he could remember. I took it as good advice from a wise soul, and I've used it ever since.
+++
Psalm 127:2 was written by Solomon! Since he is known to be the wisest man to ever live, I believe we should listen to his advice!
How many people have we seen stressed themselves out chasing the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? People work and struggle and strive to seek to build a life while all the time missing what life truly has to offer them.
We all want the new car and the bigger house the fancy clothes and the jewelry. We want our kids to have the best of everything. So, we work until we are exhausted, and while we end up with all this stuff, we have an emptiness in our soul.
Now understand, God does not get tired. But He did rest on the 7th day. Not because He needed the rest but because setting aside a time to just be and enjoy what is in our lives is important.
In the Old Testament God gave the children of Israel the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day was to be a day of rest. As the generations went on, they turned the Sabbath day into a day of rules and regulations, but this was never intended by God. It was to be a day to stop, reflect, and be thankful.
What would life be like for each one of us if we simply enjoyed what God has given to us? How would life be different if we truly understood that the things we acquire are not nearly as valuable as the people God has placed into our lives?
The blessings of family and friends are usually only measured by those who are elderly in our midst, who find their families and friends have passed on leaving them to live life in loneliness. It is my prayer that we would all begin to take stock in the blessings we have been given. That we would value the people God has placed in our lives. That we would invest ourselves and our time into what is most meaningful and not in perishable things like silver and gold.
May God guide you take stock and the blessings you have been given, and rest in His abundant peace.
In Christ,
Pastor Russ
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