He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters.
Psalm 23:2
_being a Christian, what comes to one's mind is a "continuous battle". yes, it is! but even in wars, soldiers take time to breathe and regain strength. as my title suggest, we Christians need rest, too. i'm talking about resting for awhile and not quitting. regaining strength is not quitting, as quitting is not recharging for another battle.
_we, Christians has at least seven "cardinal" attitudes toward how we are to pursue and remain faithful in our faith. one is soaring. it is when our hope and trust in our God are at its peak. we feel so energized and roam the sky without limits like eagles. we feel so joyous and that the river of God's glory is flowing and is filling us like how a river flows and mounts the water of that of a lake. it is when we sing or preach, we feel the heightened, flying heart with success. it is when we can always say, we are on fire and feels so exactly how a guy had felt for an answered marriage proposal.
_second is leaping. like that of a born-lame man in front of the temple courts who has been healed, he jumped, danced and praised God for the blessing received. it when we receive a positive answer for most of our prayer requests. this is when life seems to forget that problems are part of it. so little worries, almost none. our hearts are focused and are thanking, praising and dancing for thanksgiving. we smile wide. we hug and shares encouragement just like a family celebrating a Christmas greetings, wishes, hugs and kisses.
_third is running. we run the race that is ahead of us. it is enduring the challenges following the saints that have gone before us and being a example for those behind us. it is like a marathon that we all are running.it is an actual engagement to battle. when we run, a lot of hurdles are in front of us not to stumble us down but to challenged how strong we are. we run for the prize that is for those who will finish the race and not just the first three runners who make it to the finish line. a crown of eternal life is waiting for those who will finish the race of being a Christian.
_forth is walking. we walk when we preach and share the Good News that we have. to our friend, to a relative, or to someone we barely knew but the Holy Spirit used us to tell them the Good News. we fulfill one of the most critical part of being a "believer", leading one to believe. we bring Good News and share it to others. we don't keep the faith. we spread the faith, we share it to others, we enjoy it with others.
_fifth is standing. it is when we defend our faith. we stand firm against the enemies and endure how it is like to be a Christian. we are being tested now. how faithful our hearts are and how long are we to held our faith tight. standing against the "worldly flow". standing against the peer, family and life's pressure. standing against the standards of this world. standing, defending, owning the faith that we have with the hope of its eternal worth.
_sixth is sitting. Martha, Mary's sister, sat at Jesus feet to listen as Mary was so busy preparing things for Jesus. we are to sit like that to listen and crave for Jesus' instruction. we, all, without exemption, needs instructions. we, especially being Christians, need a lot of it to be an effective successful one. we sit and spend time with our Lord to absorb and be absorbed by His plan, to know His will for us and wants of us to do. we are to sit and wait.
_seventh and last on the list, we are to lie down. we needs rest, too. as the psalmist suggest, the Shepherd made His sheeps lie down the green pastures. notice that he did not used leads me to the green pastures to fed but used lie down suggesting rest. being a Christian isn's always enduring the pain, facing trials and engaging in battle. God knows we, too, needs rest and that He did not hold it back from us. without rest, one would eventually grow tired and soon exhausted leaving his spirit nothing more to give.
_have you been so consumed and forgot that even Jesus rested on the seventh day? maybe it's time you get one that you're flame won't be burned out, instead be much bigger when you are refreshed. go on, indulge without sinning, rest without quitting, be someone who is better than you are, take rest.
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