Lenten Devotional Series
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Blessed Rest
by Craig McCroskey
One of today’s UCC assigned scripture passages includes John 3:16. Do you know it? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son …” Could it be divine inspiration that this Southern Baptist raised guy got this scripture to reflect on? I hope not since I’m going to focus on another scripture from today’s selections that spoke to me.
Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” I’m tired; I need rest - I’ll take it! But as I continue reading the rest of the passage (verses 1-10) I get confused and suddenly I’m not sure that the physical rest I seek is what this verse is about. In honor of SNL as Doug Whiner would say, “But I’m soooo tired.” Why am I tired?
One reason I’m tired is an event in early February. On Friday my wife Lisa had a pacemaker maintenance procedure requiring a short inpatient stay. Sunday, while driving to the hospital after church, I was thrilled to discover that Lisa had received the doctor’s release to go home. Upon arrival, I was a bit deflated to find that the two principal doctors had released her but we were still waiting on the general MD’s release. Eight hours later, finally released and putting on our coats, the discharge nurse walks in and essentially says “Not so fast, we have paperwork and are waiting for a doctor to call back. Maybe another hour.” I lost it. My cup overflowed on this poor woman and though I said multiple times that I realized it wasn’t her fault, she remained in the cross-hairs of my frustration. We sat and waited a while longer. I went to apologize to the nurse and I apologized to Lisa. It was a quiet ride home that night.
I continued feeling bad about my loss of control and letting my temper get to me. I had this nagging feeling that I needed to do more – to pay penance. I thought of sending the nurse flowers but I didn’t even know her name. I took it to God, asking Him why He made me this way and why He is not helping me more with this continuing struggle. My disappointment in myself and the hurt I caused has continued to be on my mind and has affected my rest.
Having done a little more study on the Hebrews scripture and the promise of His rest, I see that God has promised more than his prescribed physical rest. Also promised is a spiritual rest through his grace and glory, for example a rest from having to perform penance (sacrifices) for our mistakes or to earn God’s love. Suddenly, I’m starting to realize that I need spiritual rest more than physical rest, and this becomes the message of John 3:16 to me: God so loved that he gave his Son … that we could have rest. I’m not absolved of working to be a better Christian but I can accept my short-comings in light of God’s grace and lean on Him to help me overcome, and have rest. (I did “give up” raising my voice for Lent. Hopefully, it will carry forward.) |
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