God's Presence = REST

Exodus 33:14  The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

My Presence - paniym - face, presence, person.  In front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of.
rest - (Hebrew) nuwach  - to rest, settle down, and remain, to repose, have rest, be quiet.  To cause to rest, give rest to, make quiet.

Matthew 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. 

with - meta - with, after, behind
always - hemera - used of time in general, i.e. the days of his life
rest - (Greek) - anaapauo - to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strength; to give rest, refresh, to give one's self rest, take rest, to keep quiet, or calm and patient expectation.

Matthew 11:28  Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 
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I am attempting to do some word studies and some cross references, really I am not very good at it, note the word attempting. ;-)  Also, I like to give disclaimers to those of you kind enough to take this journey with me just to kind of prepare you for my randomness...

The Lord in His great faithfulness, mercy, grace and love continues to remind me that He is attempting to give me rest.  He really wants me to learn to rest, period.  Inside, outside, all sides!  I realized at some point yesterday after some godly counsel that I am fighting God still.  I am constantly trying to figure out the next thing, how to move forward, how to grow, what to do, when to do it or I try to beat myself up because of the things I think I should have done, or should be doing.  NO WONDER I AM SO WEARY!!!  Do you know what I mean?  To be so tired that You have nothing left?  Or so you think, but somehow you still manage to fight!  It was pointed out to me that there are seasons to everything...especially in our lives.  I mean I knew this right?  At least with watching my kids grow up, but why do I not think about applying this to myself???

Now God is attempting to give me rest and I keep throwing it back in His face.  I need to stop.  I need and want to be thankful for this season.  To realize I do not need to try to rush through it and figure it out but take it as the gift it is.  Occasionally I grasp it but I am so far from truly getting it.  I so want to learn what He has for me.  Even the word 'attempting' keeps coming out.  God promises to give me rest if I come to Him, He isn't the one who is attempting, that is me!  I keep trying and in doing so I am getting in the way of what He wants for me!

Oh, to stop attempting, to learn, truly learn to be.  Father forgive me!  May I learn what You have for me and just rest.  To stop trying to battle it out and figure it out, but to rest in Your Presence.  I am sorry that I keep throwing Your Precious Gift back into Your face.  You are providing all I need!  You are presenting me with hope, healing, restoration, etc...by Your very Presence with me and yet I want more???  Ridiculous!  There isn't more!  You are ALL in ALL!  May I truly be satisfied with You and 'stop fighting, cease striving and be still!'  To rest.

Thank You, God, for insisting on giving me what is best for me.  For not allowing me to continue down the road of despair and hopelessness sitting in my hurts and overwhelmed by the things of this world.  Thank You that like the Israelites, You promise me that Your Presence will go with me and You will give me rest.  That I can come to You and thereby have rest.  I do not have to earn it, I do not have to work, I must come.  And You in Your amazingness provide even the ability to come!  This life is not about me, though I continually forget that.  It is about You!  Your Presence.

Thank You for Your Word!  Your promises... 
Isaiah 30:15 "For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said:  'You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength with lie in quiet confidence.'  (Make me willing, Lord, to continually return and receive Your rest...show me how contrary to what this world teaches, that my strength will lie in placing my confidence in You, in waiting quietly.)

Isaiah 30:18 "Therefore the LORD is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God.  Happy are all who wait patiently for Him."

Isaiah 30:21 "Whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: 'This is the way.  Walk in it.'"

Father God, thank You for the hope You provide, the rest.  Your strength, deliverance, confidence, compassion, Your justice.

Is anybody getting excited besides me???  Do you see it???  The Lord GOD has said!!! He said it!  I believe Him!  He is trustworthy!!! I can live in the reality of His promises!!!  I will be delivered by returning and resting IN HIM!!!  I can have strength and quiet confidence - IN HIM!!!  It is all a matter of my view point!  Am I willing to look to Him?  To return to Him over and over again? Often in my stubborn, rebellious, sinfulness I tend to turn to my own thoughts, opinions, wants etc... But is that where I want to be???   CAN I SHOUT HERE???  NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  I am sick and tired of sitting in the same old state...fighting fear and anxiety, busyness and myself!!!  I will chose to return to the Lord.  To look to Him!

Do you see the rest of it???  THE LORD IS WAITING TO SHOW YOU MERCY!!!  Me and you!  I want it don't you?  HE IS RISING UP TO SHOW YOU COMPASSION!!!  Me and you!  Oh, we don't deserve it, we can't earn it but we can REST IN IT!  REST IN HIM!  TRUST IN HIM!!!!

I get to wait for Him!  Where did we get this idea that to wait, to be patient is a bad word???  Oh, I know it usually means a challenge but would we rather be challenged with God or take off in our own strength and fall?  Do we realize to wait means to rest???  I can chose to rest!  No one can make that choice for me!  I must choose to rest, chose to wait!  Do I trust Him to do what He says???  I so want to!  Lord increase my trust, strengthen my faith in You! Help me take my eyes off myself and put them on You, period, no excuses!  He promises that wherever I walk, whether to the right or to the left, He is there.  He will enable me to have ears that hear and recognize His voice and then I will know when to walk and where!

Until then...REST!  WAIT!  CONFIDENTLY SEEK HIM!

What? Actually enjoy the fact that He is in control and I get to rest!  I mean, He has always been and will always be in control...why not stop 'spinning my wheels' or wearing myself out and let Him do the work!!!  Seems like an obvious choice, but oh so often we just simply miss it or refuse to see it!

Father God, thank You, thank You, thank You for meeting each of us where we are!  Help me/us to stop spending so much time wondering why someone else does what they do or why things are happening the way they are and focus.  Focus on You.  To wait, to rest, to quietly, confidently watch for You to work!  You will, You are, You promise!  You alone are trustworthy!  I certainly am not, my moods, my emotions can rise and fall with the wind or one thought, but YOU!  You are steadfast, immovable!  You, God, are mighty to save.  You are my Provider, my Sustainer, my Redeemer, my ALL IN ALL!  Thank You that my need for rest, though it may look different from the next person is not wrong, it is right!!!  Thank You for promising that Your Presence is with me.  You left Your Holy Spirit to live in me!  Please reveal Yourself in my moment by moment.  Forgive me for quenching and grieving Your Spirit.  For deliberately choosing my own way.  Thank You for once again revealing Yourself, for allowing me to see You!  That You made me this way, to process over and over again, to enable me to bring You my burdens and receive Your rest!  Your peace that passes understanding!  I am thankful!  I choose You!  Thank You for choosing me!!!  As I get up from this place may I be able to walk in Your Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of my flesh!  May I see You clearly.  May I listen and obey.  May I rest in YOU!