Sunday: Rest

With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God?  Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are?  Being comes before doing.  This is a call to put first things first.  Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion.  Set aside this time as a sanctuary.  Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern. 
 
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.  
 
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matt. 5:3)  O Lord, my poverty is the place where you meet me with grace.  My spirit finds all I need in you.  Amen.
 
Word: Matthew 6:25
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Meditation
Do not be anxious. Last week we focused on single-minded devotion to God in an age of distraction. How Jesus isn’t one thing among many vying for our attention, but how he demands our all. And this verse comes immediately after that. “Therefore … because I am your treasure, because I am the focus of your attention, because I am your gracious master … therefore do not be anxious.

Anxiety here isn’t a clinical type of anxiety or disorder. And it’s not even a general feeling of unease or worry, although that’s included. Instead, anxiety is an undue care about. It’s a preoccupation with. Anxiety is what happens when we take our eyes off Jesus and instead put something else first. Even something as basic as food and clothing.

Rest is an act of rebellion against anxiety. Doing nothing is an act of trust and worship in the God who satisfies your every need. And so rest. Take a nap. Go for a walk. Binge a show or play a game. Do not be anxious.

Prayer for Rest
 
·        For physical, mental, and emotional health.
·        For times of joy, delight, and leisure.
·        For a Sabbath day free from work, tasks, and stress.
·        For a holy time of worship.
 
Closing Prayer 
Father, there are many things that make me anxious. But you promise to care for all my needs. Free me from anxiety and worry. Help me to rest in you. Amen.