For thus says the Lord God, the Holy one of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
-Isaiah 30:15a
Rest has been a recurring theme this summer, in power hour, Bible studies, and vespers. Camp life, full of so much fun, moves at a frantic pace. The true value of intentional and biblical rest is so obvious at Tapawingo. Every day, after lunch, is a rest hour. This quiet break from life at camp might be considered unnecessary or annoying by the youngest campers, but to many others it becomes a sacred time. Some campers have even talked to me about establishing a rest time within their daily schedule at home!
As wonderful as that is, the reality is that many of us have no real place for a time of rest in our daily lives. For some, it can feel like a stretch to ask for five minutes. The need for rest remains, whether we acknowledge it or not, but in some seasons, opportunities for rest seem few and far between.
As I have been learning this summer, sometimes you need to rest within the busyness. Isaiah 30:15 has been an important truth for me as I learn to “return”, or turn to God, in the small moments and brief opportunities. Going to God should be as natural as reaching for my water bottle or schedule. I’m learning to have “quietness”, calming my own heart and its preoccupation with the activities of the moment, and drawing on a peace that lies outside of my circumstances. And, finally, I’m learning to “trust”, to lean fully on Christ and His strength, knowing that I can’t do it myself. Jesus promises in Matthew 11:28-30 that he will give rest to those who come to him. I’ve decided to start taking him up on the offer.
-Miss Isabel