Blog - Do Not Depart

All Things New

August 20, 2020 by Jennifer Hong 1 Comment

Continuing our series Anchored By Hope, today we consider the hope in God’s promise of restoration as He makes all things new.

Upon returning from our honeymoon, we unpacked our wedding gifts and began to fill our home. I opened some nice knives and filled the knife block. Once I began cooking with those brand-new kitchen knives, it was amazing! They chopped so easily, cut so smoothly. When I used my mother’s well-worn knives again, the difference was marked. My new, sharp knives were one of my favorite parts of my kitchen.

It’s been nearly fifteen years now — fifteen good, and also humbling, years. If a newlywed with her own brand-new knives visited my kitchen, she might be dismayed at the state of my once-sharp knives. I try to sharpen them occasionally, but I have largely given up on adequately sharpening them myself. I had just found a place to take them when the pandemic hit. Soon, I keep telling myself, I will take my knives to the knife-sharpening guy, and they will be returned to me renewed, restored, working just as they were intended to!

New things are nice. They work just as they were made to, and they are full of potential. The Bible is also full of joy over newness — newness with far more significance than kitchen convenience.

In Mercy, the Lord Makes a New Way

We see in the Old Testament that the Lord brings refreshment when the way is weary and surrounded by wilderness and desert. He brings a change, needed provisions, and rest — renewed hope.

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:16-19)

In Christ, We are Made New

Oh, what hope! Not only does the Lord inject His mercy into our circumstances and our path, but His grace is completely transformative.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)

In salvation, we ourselves are re-created anew and indwelt with His Spirit.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In His Presence, All Things Will be Made New

God’s renewal and restoration far exceeds our path and our selves. In the penultimate chapter of the Bible, John describes Heaven:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Revelations 21:3)

This beautiful description is the ultimate restoration, our unending peace in the eternal presence of God. Read that phrase again: “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” This is the deepest peace, and it seems that union drives the healing and restoration that follow.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelations 21:4-5)

Death defeated, life eternal, and all things new. The Creator of all we see and all we that don’t is redeeming it all.

Hope to Worship as We Were Made To

When I read these passages together, I am filled with hope. I see that the Lord is active in my life and my day, bringing new mercies each morning (Lamentations 3:21-24). He is restoring me, restoring His Church, restoring broken relationships, broken people, and broken lands.

When I finally get my kitchen knives sharpened, it’ll be glorious. They will cut easily and chop smoothly and work just as they were made to. Life in the kitchen will be just a bit better. Imagine what it means when we are restored, when we are just as we were made to be. In the heaviness that may surround us today, do not lose heart. “Our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Renewed and restored, we, too, work just as we were created to. We worship, we love, and we forgive.

We are being made new. All things are being made new. Thank you, God, for that Hope.

Dawn of Hope

August 18, 2020 by Cheli Sigler 1 Comment

Fertility issues

Job loss

Uprooting and moving

Bankruptcy

At some point during each of these experiences, I felt hopeless. I can remember where I was and what I was doing when a loved one said, “Cheli, it is ‘always darkest before the dawn.’” You know, I have found that statement to be true. Each difficult circumstance gave me new opportunities to see God work in the darkest moments of my life and the dawn of HOPE.

The Dark

As I searched the scripture about hope, I came to a favorite passage in Lamentations 3. Here, the Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, recounts his personal suffering and that of the kingdom of Judah while God enacted His justice on His people for their sin. It was a dark time for Jeremiah.

I remember my affliction and my wandering,

the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

–Lamentations 3:19-20, NIV

Throughout our lives, even when walking with God like Jeremiah, we will experience hardship. Life gets hard. Sometimes the darkness threatens to overtake us. Jeremiah shares his suffering, but he does not wallow in it. He sees the dawn approaching.

The Dawn

Jeremiah has spent several verses detailing his despair, and then we come to his declaration of hope.

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

–Lamentations 3:21-23, NIV

In his darkest hour, Jeremiah remembers God’s enduring presence, unfailing love, and abiding faithfulness. We can look to the future with confident expectation that these gifts of God are always available. Beyond the horizon, hope dawns.

We can look to the future with confident expectation that these gifts of God are always available: His presence, unfailing love and abiding faithfulness.

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Turning Point

In the middle of the difficult circumstances in my life, I reached a point where I surrendered it all to God. In my surrender, the light of HOPE broke through. Holding tight to Jesus because life depended on it, I had fresh understanding that in Christ my circumstances could not consume me, that God never stops loving me, and that I can trust Him with everything.

Jesus, thank you for your enduring presence, overwhelming love, and new mercies that greet me with each new day. I trust in You. You are my HOPE.

Want to Memorize More Scripture Together?

August 17, 2020 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

Want to get a chunk of healthy, encouraging, Jesus words deep into your head and heart?

We’re touching up our final notes for the next memory challenge for Fall 2020!

Next week we’ll share the details.

You’ll have the opportunity then to register to memorize another chapter of the Bible together as a group.

This time we’ll be in the New Testament, back in the red letters.

Check back on Monday, August 24, to sign up.

3 Ways to Hope in God’s Goodness

August 13, 2020 by Lisa Burgess 20 Comments

I know she’ll be here soon. I purposely set one chocolate kiss in the glass candy dish in my kitchen. She’ll look there.

I want to be a good grandmother. When my 2-year-old granddaughter comes to my house, I want to give her treats and make her happy. For her, that includes chocolate. (Chocolate makes me happy too.)

But I also don’t want to ruin her appetite for real food or make her sick from too much junk food.

What is actually good?

When Things Look Bad

2020 has good things in it, to be sure. God is still here, still with us.

But by most measures, 2020 is one of our craziest years. It’s been easy to lose hope from week to week.

We can’t feel totally safe from the coronavirus even in our previously good activities.
We can’t talk sanely about sensitive issues with some of the good people we once talked with.
We can’t even trust ourselves to not occasionally lash out in frustration or to not give up in hopelessness.

None of us can live up to always being “good” (Psalm 14:3).

What about God? Is God angry at us this year? Is He holding out?

We once knew the right answer to this call-and-response:

“God is good all the time. And all the time __________.”

But what about now? Is God still good?

3 Ways to Hope in God’s Goodness Again

1. LOOK TO THE PAST

When we get confused in the present, one way to reorient ourselves is to look back to the past. Who has God been to you in the past? God is not an unknown factor.

God reveals Himself to us again and again in good ways. And His character never changes.

If we’ve ever had anything good happen in our lives, we can be assured of its source: God.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James 1:17

If you’ve ever found forgiveness, received grace, been blessed, you’ve seen God.

Remember God’s goodness in your past.

2. RELAX IN THE PRESENT

When we remember that God is goodness itself, it changes our narrative about the present. Regardless of what is happening to us right now, while maybe not always pleasant, we are still safe in the hands of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

It doesn’t mean there won’t be problems. It doesn’t mean there won’t be pain.

But God gives the needed sunshine and replenishing rain to all of us; He doesn’t play favorites (Matthew 5:45).

“The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”
Psalm 145:9

When we believe God is always good, never bad, we can more easily relax in the present. We can depend on God’s goodness, not our circumstances, other people, or ourselves, to give us what we need. We can trust God will always provide the best for us (Matthew 6:33-34).

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:11

It’s who He is.

3. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Maybe we can’t see the path yet for a bright future or a successful ending to a saga we’re in. But God can.

And because God is good, we can safely get our hopes up.

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
Proverbs 23:18

One verse never to forget is the final verse of Psalm 23. Perhaps you memorized it as a child or an adult. If not, memorize it now to cling to in hard times:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:6

It was true in King David’s lifetime; it is true in our lifetime.

We will eventually move past the hard time we’re in, even if it takes awhile. God’s goodness assures it.

God’s goodness has been with us in the past, is with us now, and will be with us forever.

Good Things Always Come

After my granddaughter ate her chocolate kiss after lunch (okay, technically it was after breakfast), I had to leave the bowl empty for awhile. It was for her own good. She checked back periodically. Still empty.

But the next day? I had added another chocolate kiss to the bowl. I want her to trust that good things will always come, just maybe not as quickly as she may want them. I also want her to count on my goodness both for her well-being (not TOO much chocolate) as well as for her delight.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
Psalm 34:8

We too can keep looking for God’s goodness around us. We will find it. God wants and has planned good things for us (Jeremiah 29:11). God is good all the time.

And all the time, God is good.

Don’t lose hope.

Don’t lose hope. Keep looking for God’s goodness around you. Good things always come. #AnchoredbyHope

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How has God been good to you even in 2020? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

For more hope in God’s goodness:

• 3 Ways to Find the Good in God [Article]

Has God been good to you? Here are 3 things you can do to find out.

• God’s Promises [Infographic]

Sometimes we forget to hope because we forget God’s promises. God’s promises for us are good. Here’s an infographic to remind you of His goodness.

Hope in God’s Good Purpose

August 11, 2020 by Jaime Hilton 1 Comment

I had a really clear picture of what this year was going to look like. Projects were lined up. Wheels were in motion. My long held dream of working as a director was coming true.

Then everything shut down.

Rehearsals were cancelled. Shows postponed. We held our breath waiting for normal to return. I cried with my children over our broken dreams. We prayed and talked about God and how He is good. About how he brings good from the bad and beauty from ashes. How He is our rock, the anchor holding us fast through the storms of life. Things started to open up again. We made some plans. Then everything shut down again and our dreams were dashed a second time.

Now Joseph had a dream…

Joseph was the 11th and favorite son of Jacob (whom God named Israel). Genesis 37 tells us that Joseph tattled on his brothers and that his father gave him a robe of many colors, a very costly gift. Neither even endeared Joseph to his older brothers. In fact, verse 4 says, “they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.”

In this context, Joseph has his first dream.

“Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, ‘Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.’ His brothers said to him, ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” (Genesis 37:5-8)

I can’t help but notice, Joseph shares his dream, but it is his brothers who do the interpreting.

The Bible doesn’t tell us at this point if Joseph knows what his dream is about, but it’s not hard to imagine what a 17 year old shepherd might expect his life to look like. His family is wealthy, and though by birth order he is next to last, perhaps he will take his father’s place as head of the family some day. Not a bad future to look forward to.

His brothers had a different idea. They threw him in a pit and sold him into slavery. What was going through that young boy’s mind as he made the long journey from his home to Egypt? Did he watch his dreams fade away with the landscape and grieve over what would have been? Could he hope in the future he’d been promised when his present looked so bleak?

Interpretations Belong to God

In chapter 39, the Bible picks up Joseph’s story again. He is a slave in the household of Potiphar, an important government official, and he is doing very well.

“The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.” (Genesis 39:2)

A few years have gone by and the young shepherd enjoys the trust and favor of his boss. Here we get a glimpse of Joseph growing in maturity as a man of integrity and faith. The lady of the house tempts him, but Joseph resists, both out of respect for the man who has been kind to him and honoring the God of his people. Potiphar’s wife accuses him and he is thrown in prison, but again, God is with him.

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. (v. 21)

After a time, two of Pharaoh’s officials are thrown into prison with Joseph and each have troubling dreams.

At this point in his life, Joseph could not be further from the dreams he had as a boy. There might have been a chance to return home, as a successful, favored servant of an important government official. But not now. Not from prison. But Joseph is not bitter or broken. He recognizes God as the author and interpreter of dreams. “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.” (Genesis 40:8)

He has learned that though his own dreams have not yet come to fruition, God has never left him.

Joseph remembers the dream

Years pass. Joseph is eventually remembered by the cupbearer, and is given an opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, which is a warning of the famine coming to the land. Pharaoh elevates him to governor and gives him a wife because he sees that Joseph is filled with the Spirit of God (Genesis 41:37). Joseph sets to work again, storing up grain, planning for the future. He gives his two sons Hebrew names, showing that he has not forgotten God or his people.

The famine reaches Canaan and Joseph’s brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain. As they kneel before the great leader, second only to Pharaoh, unrecognizable from the brother they sold into slavery so many years ago, Joseph remembers his dream (Genesis 42:9).

I doubt very much that 17 year old Joseph knew all along that he was going to rise to power in Egypt. There must have been moments along the way where he wondered what it was all about it. But over the course of his life, the many ups and downs, from the pit in Canaan to the palace in Egypt, Joseph learned to trust in God, not the dream.

God’s Good Purpose

“But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today’.” Genesis 50:19-20

Summer is in full swing but fall is quickly approaching. Our community is opening slowly, and like Joseph, we are looking forward with hope. Not in the dreams God has placed on our hearts, but in God himself, who never leaves us.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

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Hoping in God’s Sovereignty

August 7, 2020 by Ali Shaw 1 Comment

What does it mean to be Anchored By Hope because God is Sovereign? This post explores the hope found in the sovereignty of God.

“God Is Sovereign.”

Once, during a moment of very deep personal grief, a friend said those words to me. Tears welled in my eyes, threatening to run, yet again, hot, down my cheeks.

“Yes, God is sovereign,” I echoed.

Those words brought me comfort… but why? Why can God’s sovereignty anchor us in the hope of Christ Jesus?

The easiest way to define God’s sovereignty is that, ultimately, He is in charge. He has the right to do whatever He decides is best, and He has the power to accomplish His will.

Knowing that He is always good, and that He is love, helps us see that whatever He decides is best is best— for our eternal good and for His glory. And even when things are hard (or even terrible), knowing that we are in good, loving, and capable hands brings comfort. Even in the most dire situations, and even when our limited human perspective just can’t see it, God is working His good and perfect plan!

Esther’s Story (In Fast Mode)

There are so many beautiful stories of God’s sovereignty in the Bible. The heroes of the faith all lived out displays of God’s perfect and knowing sovereign love.

But it’s Esther’s story (and the story of her people) that I always think of when I’m reflecting on God’s sovereign nature.

If you’re familiar with the Book of Esther, you remember that Esther was elevated into the position of Queen (but with no real ruling rights) in the Persian Empire, some time after the Jews who’d been held in captivity there were set free to return home. Yet, many stayed behind; Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, did just that.

Long story (very) short, the arrogant, controlling, and temperamental king, Xerxes (under the influence of his evil official, Haman), made an edict to eradicate all the Jews in his empire — which were effectively all the Jews. This would have wiped out the hope of the coming Savior: Jesus Christ! (No Jews, no Mary, no Jospeh, no census, no trip to Bethlehem… you get the idea.)

After fasting, which (Biblically) implies the seeking of God through prayer, Esther courageously approached the king at the risk of her own life.

Esther could have hidden her Jewishness and sided with the Persian world around her. She could have escaped with her life while her people were destroyed. But, she chose her side and then made it known. She identified herself as a child of God and revealed her true Jewish identity to Xerxes.

In nothing short of a miracle, God used an ordinary girl to stand as a mediator for her people… allowing the Jews to live and the true enemy, evil Haman, to be defeated. Because all the Jews were not wiped out, the line of the Savior was protected and Jesus would later be born.

At many points in this story things looked bad. Horrible, actually! For God’s children, there seemed to be absolutely no hope and no escape from the world around them. They were controlled and surrounded by an evil, invincible, dominating power. The Persian kingdom was vain and foolish, and it was incredibly dangerous.

No hope, no escape? Vain? Foolish? Dangerous? Hmmm… those things don’t necessarily sound like only ancient history, do they?

God is Sovereign

Esther’s story is remarkable, not only because she was so brave (which she absolutely was– let me give credit!), but also because of the main character in the story– the One who is never even mentioned in the book: God!

The Book of Esther reveals a powerful, loving God working actively behind the scenes. Yes, Esther was brave, but God’s mighty hand of Providence was orchestrating all the details to save and give victory to His people through her obedience.

Esther’s story serves as a reminder to us, living in the modern world. Our world may be a mess– it may be hard, sad, unjust, confusing, and dangerous– but God is good. And He is working behind the scenes to orchestrate just the right details to give eternal victory to His children.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Our good and loving Father is so patient with us. He wishes for none to perish, but for all to come to know Jesus as Lord. And interestingly, the confusion and pain experienced in this world presents us with a unique opportunity to point others to the hope and victory found in Christ alone.

Just as God worked in Esther’s story to bring about His good and perfect will, He will work in our lives.

The deep and very personal grief we experience? He is sovereign.

Our hurts and pains? He is sovereign.

The uncertainty that makes the way seem impossible? He is sovereign!

There is nothing too big for our God to handle!

Yes, God is sovereign. And because of that, because he is working “all things… together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose,” we can be anchored by hope! (See Romans 8:28)

How does knowing that He is sovereign give you hope today?

How does the fact that God is Sovereign give us hope and comfort? Just as God worked in Esther’s story to bring about His good and perfect will, He will work in our lives. #AnchoredByHope #HopingInGodsSovereignty

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In Him,
Ali

Anchored By Hope

August 4, 2020 by Jennifer Hong 4 Comments

In the midst of a year characterized by uncertainty, let’s take the month of August to anchor ourselves in a hope that does not disappoint. Our circumstances may ebb and flow or may completely rock us, but in Christ we are securely anchored by hope.

A few years ago I was listening to a friend of mine give a sermon on the topic of hope. I was sitting in the cry room with a toddler messing about at my feet and an active infant in my lap. My preschooler was in the sanctuary with my husband, but he had spotted me through the cry room window and was clearly negotiating to join me there. Given the chaos around me, I will admit I now recall few details of that sermon. But one moment stands out. While straining to listen over the babbling of the children literally crawling over me, I heard my friend Brandon pause and ask directly, “What do you hope in?” No joke, clear as a bell something in me responded, “Bedtime. My hope is in bedtime.”

True Hope

I chuckled, outloud, because it was somewhat true. I would find myself multiple times a day with frayed nerves thinking, “It’s all going to be okay. In a few hours, they will go to bed, and I will be okay.” I was in the thick of the “short years / long days” season, and though I actually missed the kids when they were sleeping soundly, I also desperately needed the quiet time to collect myself. And yet, on the way home from Church that morning, I knew there was more to it than an introvert’s need for a few minutes of silence.

“When all feels chaotic, when I am afraid that I am failing them at every turn, when I am not sure how to comfort three of them at once,” I asked myself, “is my hope in bedtime? Or am I resting right then in the blessed assurance that the God of the Universe is right here with me? He knows exactly what is needed.” Am I missing the opportunity to be securely anchored by a true hope?

Grounded

Am I white-knuckled clinging to my to-do list? Or am I looking to the Holy Spirit for in-the-moment guidance? Am I holding my breath until the circumstances change? Or am I abiding in the life-giving breath of God, Who calms the storms and stills the winds? This summer, is my sense of hope tied to my confidence in our leaders, to graphs of reported data, or to the One who reigns forever?

As people, our hope can easily become tied to the ever-changing circumstances around us. But as Believers, our hope is rightly grounded in Who God is. It flourishes when we focus our hearts on Him. He is good, righteous, sovereign, and faithful. Our hope rests in the knowledge that He is making all things new. He is making us into the likeness of Christ and reconciling us to one another in the Spirit.

Anchored, Firm and Secure

The author of Hebrews tells us that we may be encouraged because, “we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19a, NIV). We have this anchor of hope, he says, because Christ entered behind the temple curtain into the Most Holy Place ushering those washed in His blood into the presence of God (Hebrews 6:19-20, Hebrews 9:1-14, Matthew 27:50-51). That’s the game-changer. His blood and righteousness mean I have access to the throne of God. That’s hope.

Do you know how an anchor works? An anchor is substantial, heavy and solid, sinking into the seabed. It becomes even more effective when resistance is applied. When a force pulls against the anchor, it is designed to dig deeper, becoming more secure. Thus grounded, an anchor protects a boat from drifting away or from crashing into nearby rocks.

Friends, I may have read more news in the past five months than I did in the previous decade. And it certainly is prudent to know what’s happening around us. Let’s check our anchor, though. Where is our hope? I love this sentence from a boating article titled “How to Anchor Securely:” “We know of no way to ensure that your anchor will hold other than by pulling on it hard.” Pull hard, and be assured. Hope anchored in Christ holds true. Join us in a month-long blog series as we explore what it means to be Anchored by Hope.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

In His Image: Series Wrap Up

July 30, 2020 by Jaime Hilton Leave a Comment

All month on the blog we’ve been looking at the nature of God as it is reflected in humans. We reflect Him, not because of anything we do, but because it is how He made us.

“and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Colossians 3:10

Ali reminded us that “Careful and considerate words shine God’s light and reflect His nature to those around us.” in her post about Pure Words

We considered God’s nature as an Artist and what it means to be His masterpiece

Lisa shared how we get a picture of God’s unconditional love through the love we share in families.

We are imprinted with a heart for justice , because God is just. He is the standard we measure the world against.

Even in our rhythms of rest we are reflecting who He is, glorifying Him as we “become more familiar with who He is and His love for us.”

In this world where unrest, disagreement, injustice, and injury are so prevalent, may we look upon our neighbors, co-workers, community members, leaders, and families as reflections of God. May we love them, not because they are or are not deserving of that love, but because they bear His image and He is worthy.

In His Image: Created to Rest

July 28, 2020 by Kelli LaFram 1 Comment

I’m a teacher and I work with several wonderful women, but given the nature of the job — the constant busyness of educating young people — it’s hard to get to know any of my coworkers well during the normal school day. Each of us are continually serving or preparing to serve our students. Each minute is given to the work at hand. There is little time for rest between 7:45 and 3:45, Monday through Friday, so it wasn’t until a handful of us decided to start a book club that we began to become more than just co-workers. When we deliberately chose to set aside time to rest, relax, and enjoy one-another’s company we became friends.

Created to Rest

This month on the Do Not Depart blog we are looking at how we, mankind, are created in the image of God. We are created to reflect His image in many ways, including (but not limited to) how we speak, love, are creative, and seek justice. We are also created to complete good works— just like He does. But along with this work, we are created to rest.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. ~ Genesis 2:1-3

Jesus Shows Us How to Rest

God worked, created, and gave life to the whole world in six days. On the seventh He rested. Genesis is not the only place we can see that God rests and has created us to rest as well. We can also look at Jesus, because if we see Jesus we also see the Father.

“I and the Father are one” ~ John 10:30

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ~ John 14:9

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting and praying. In other words, for 40 days He rested in the company and provision of His Father. This rest gave Jesus the strength to resist the devil’s temptation (Matthew 4:1-11). It also prepared Him to begin His earthly ministry (vv 12-17).

There are other accounts throughout the Gospels in which Jesus frequently sought time for both physical and spiritual rest. He made rest a priority. For example, He slept when the storms raged around Him at sea (Matthew 8:23-27). He sought solitude to pray and rest even when multitudes wanted to hear Him preach (Matthew 14:23). He rested in fellowship and communion with His friends and disciples (Matthew 26:19-30). When faced with great suffering, He prioritized prayer and resting in the will of His Father (Matthew 26: 36-46).

Jesus had a mission to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). This good work took great effort, but He did not neglect rest in the process. We should not either.

We Need Rest

The Hebrew word for rest, which appears in Genesis 2:2, is shabath and it means to cease, desist, or rest from labor. Shabath appears again in the passage describing the Sabbath Law.

It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed. ~ Exodus 31:17

Here the word rested is used with the word refreshed. Rest and refreshment go together. We need rest, but not for the sake of simply obeying the law. We need rest to be refreshed — to be given new strength and energy, to be reinvigorated.

How does rest refresh us? Rest only truly refreshes us, body and soul, when we spend time with Jesus — just being with and enjoying Him, worshipping Him, and getting to know Him.

This sounds wonderful, right? But how do we rest?

How to Rest

The struggle to rest is real. It takes a conscious effort to break the habit of busyness. As we begin to break this habit and form new habits of rest, we need to remember we are no longer under the law. We do not rest in order to fulfill religious obligations or to make God happy. We rest because we are created to do so. So as you struggle to rest, give yourself grace just as Jesus does.

Here are some practical ways to literally rest:

Enjoy an actual lunch break (not a working lunch)
Go for a walk
Read your bible
Sing worship songs
Memorize scripture
Spend time in prayer and meditation
Keep a journal

We have many ways to rest. Let the purpose of our rest be this: to be refreshed in Christ.

Rest is Not a Waste

Many of us, myself included, often look at rest as a waste of time. When our to-do lists seem to be ever growing, we often rationalize skipping rest. We tell ourselves, “when items X, Y, and Z are done, then I can take a break.”

But let me ask you this: what happens when our work leaves us beyond exhausted? What, or rather who, suffers? The people around us suffer. Our relationships get neglected and those we claim to love may not actually be receiving our love.

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that my co-workers and I started to become friends when we intentionally made time for one another — when we rested together. The same is true for our relationship with God. As we spend time resting with and in Him we will become more familiar with who He is and His love for us.

Rest is something we are created for. Let’s not neglect it.

Lord in heaven, thank you for creating us to rest. Thank you for the example of rest that you have provided for us in your son Jesus. Just as He prioritized rest, please teach us to do the same. Give us the desire to spend time resting with you and with others. Help us to trust that the time will be well spent and that it will provide the refreshment we need to accomplish the good work you have tasked us to do. In the name of your Son I pray. Amen.

Let the purpose of our rest be this: to be refreshed in Christ. #InHisImage

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Hearts Like His: Hearts for Justice

July 23, 2020 by Jennifer Hong Leave a Comment

This month we have been looking at what it means to be made in the image of God. This truth determines who we are and affects how we see ourselves and others. Today, we consider how justice is imprinted on our hearts because we are made in the image of God.

Years ago, my heart ached to better understand one of my children. When wronged, they struggled to move on until it was made right. Any opportunity for sharing was fraught with anxiety over whether it would work out fairly. I initially attributed this to self-centeredness, but as I asked the Lord to reveal what my child needed, the He showed me that their heart was particularly sensitive to justice. While immature, it was neither one-sided nor necessarily selfish. When my little one received a small treat at school, they went to great lengths to share with three siblings who had neither noticed nor asked. With that little bit of insight as a mother, many pieces fell into place.

Imprinted with Justice

The next time my child was distressed over an apparent injustice, I pulled the 5-year-old onto my lap and said, “You see, God made you in His image. He made you like Him in so many ways, and one of the things He put in your heart is a desire for justice. You want to see that people always do what is right, that wrong is always labeled wrong, and that there are consequences when someone does wrong. You want to see that everyone gets a share of the good things we receive. Your heart aches and says ‘This isn’t right!’ when those things don’t happen.” The child lit up with the relief of recognition. It is my prayer that as this little one grows, their heart for justice grows and matures alongside grace and mercy.

The Source of Justice

You and I were also created in God’s image. Our hearts ache for justice because we bear the image of our Creator, the very standard of justice.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis explains that the moral standards we find common across cultures reflect the existence of a just God, the standard against Whom all else is judged. “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?”

Justice is integral to the nature of God.

But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness. (Psalm 9:7-8)

For I the Lord love justice;
    I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. (Isaiah 61:8)

The descriptions of God’s justice in the Bible include both retributive justice, consequences for sin, and restorative justice, restoring the oppressed to wholeness and well-being. These concepts are intertwined, as an act of judgement against an oppressor begins to lift up the oppressed.

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)

Hearts like His

We, created in the Image of God, have that standard of justice imprinted within us. Though marred by sin and pride, our sense of justice is restored as we are made into the likeness of Christ (Romans 6:8, 2 Corinthians 3:18). He is making our hearts more and more like His.

When we see our neighbors through God’s justice, we see that each one bears the image of God. This is foundational to justice and is why each person is to be treated with dignity — not because of what they have done but because of who they are as a person bearing the image of God.

It is for this reason that Christ taught that our actions towards neighbors and strangers hold eternal weight.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ … Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40b).

To Do Justice

One thing I have experienced in recent months is a deeper understanding of injustice and oppression in my nation and my community, both historically and presently. Injustice is a big deal to God, and it grieves Him deeply. In fact, God tells us through the prophet Habakkuk that persistent injustice in Judah resulted in Judah’s exile to Babylon (Habakkuk 1:4).

It is my prayer this morning that the Lord would continue to open my eyes to see when the persons who bear His divine image are not treated with the dignity due each of us. And then, may I act, with prayer and wisdom, towards the restoration of justice.

He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)