While reading Isaiah this morning, a particular verse caught my eye.
“For thus says, the Lord, the holy one of Israel: in returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)
This verse is tucked in the middle of a section of Isaiah called “A Rebellious People.”
The beginning of this section talks about those who rebelled against God… those who “will not hear the instruction of the Lord,” (:9) those who “leave the way,” (:11) and those who “reject the word.” (:12)
The Lord tells these people that because of these rebellions their security is “about to collapse…” And that “crash comes suddenly in an instant… smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shred is found.” (:13-14)
But God doesn’t just leave them with this message of doom and gloom. He tucks a bit of hope into His warning.
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.” (:15)
Notice the Lord doesn’t ask big, heroic deeds in order to “return” to Him and prevent these catastrophic punishments. He asks for rest, quietness, and trust. He doesn’t ask for activity, but passivity. He asks that we simply lean into Him and let Him be Lord over our life.
It’s a perfect message for today — the Sabbath day, the day of rest. But, more so, it’s a perfect message for this season of my life.
I’ve been overwhelmed physically. Some days, pushing myself too hard for fear that I am not giving enough or doing enough… or that, quite frankly, I am not enough, and those that I love will not have enough because of it.
In fact, this was heavy on my heart last night as I sat down with soreness everywhere. And then this morning I read this verse.
When I felt tired, He said rest. When I felt weak, He promised strength. When I felt worried, He said trust. When life gets loud, He said be quiet.
Our “return” to the Lord really is that simple. And thank God. Because, some days, rest is really all I have to give Him. It’s reassuring to know that’s all He really wants.
Happy Sabbath, friends. May today be the day you “return” to Him as He asks — resting at His feet. (Kinda like my puppy was doing as I wrote this.)