LENT DEVOTIONAL: WEEK 1
”Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
The ground has rested: Throughout the long winter months, while the ground is at rest, restorative work occurs deep beneath the surface in preparation for new growth. Rest allows for the renewal to come. By design, physical rest is an essential need of the human body. It is meant to play a participating part of our daily rhythms which allows the body to rebuild and the mind to refresh for each new day. Without rest, there is no renewal.
Sometimes we need to enter longer seasons of rest that echoe the cycles of nature. Maybe you have been in one yourself. After a difficult season, a traumatic experience, or even prolonged busyness, it’s essential to be attentive to the rest our minds and bodies require for restoration.
A season of rest is not a passive one. Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28 reveals that there’s an exchange between him and us that must occur. It’s only when we come to him and lay our burdens down that our hearts fully receive the rest he promises. His rest re-forms us. When we allow his rest to inhabit us, our body can literally change. Our muscles may soften, our shoulders drop as tension releases, our inhale may deepen and the knot in our stomach might dissipate.
Libby John is an artist partner with Art House North and is the director of Vivid Artistry and host of the Art and Faith Podcast. Subscribe to her weekly devotionals HERE.