The Rest God Intends for Us
Amanda reflects on rest during the Christmas season.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had one idea persistently on my mind: rest.
As I’m writing messages on Christmas cards, I keep wishing people a restful end of year. And as I have Christmas music playing on a continual loop, the messages of peace and rest seem to be jumping out of the songs to my ears. "Silent Night" says to “sleep in heavenly peace,” while “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” reminds the gentlemen to, well, rest.
My body—and even more so, my inner heart—is longing for rest in an almost desperate way this year.
Meanwhile, this seems like the least restful time of the year. Especially as a parent of a small child, while this season might be full of sweet excitement and joy, I think we are all getting as little rest as possible (perhaps due to our December sugar consumption alone). There are presents to buy, elaborate meals to prepare, and magic to create for all our little wondering eyes – so who has time to even think about rest? I literally had the thought recently that maybe I should add rest to one of my to-do lists.
Yikes.
As I sit here in a coffee shop writing to you, I’m staring out the window at a very elaborate light display in the parking lot courtyard, accented by a 40-foot inflatable Santa and a slightly smaller abominable snowman. As the wind blows, it sways them, making it look like Santa is waving at me. Maybe I’m projecting, but in the middle of this busy shopping center, I feel like his waves are somehow asking me, “Hey, Merry Christmas! Did you get all your shopping done yet? Are you sure you’ve gotten everything you need to make this an unforgettable Christmas for everyone?”
And of course, that little holiday-time knot in my stomach reminds me, “No – I’ve got so much more to do.”
Don’t get me wrong; I really don’t think we’ve got it all wrong – that all of this hoopla is bad.
I don’t think God is up there looking down at us disappointed, thinking, “I sent my Son to give them rest and look at them all frenzied about red and green house décor and the latest PlayStation.” Christmas is meant to be a celebration after all – even the angels and the shepherds stayed up all night rejoicing.
I’m just starting to suspect that the calm and rest that we are seeking during this time — the rest that God intends for us — is not really about a cleared-enough schedule, 8 good hours of sleep at night, and adequate lounging time in front of the fire.
Because of what we do at The Kukhoma Project, I spend a lot of time thinking about babies; mothers and babies. I’ve been thinking about how babies don’t really bring much rest with their arrival. Our house in Zambia has several small babies right now, and I know “all is not calm” very often. Many mothers bid farewell to sleep when a child arrives (or even before) — and then miss it for months or years to come.
That first Christmas night in Bethlehem, you want to know who was not getting a whole lot of rest? Mary. That young mom, exhausted from labor and delivery, was immediately on the job – attending to every cry and need of her newborn.
But scripture and Christmas carols alike tell us she laid him down in the manger, and then I imagine she worshipped Immanuel. Kneeling down, gazing at her new baby boy, I bet she got to experience something I think we all long for — not a physical rest, but a spiritual one. She knew with complete confidence that the Savior of the world had finally come to make everything right; she and her people didn’t need to worry anymore, this tiny Messiah would take it from here. Can you imagine how deeply you could exhale feeling that kind of relief?
Oh wait, there it is – I can; we can.
There is so much to do and so little sleep to be had, but still, when my exhausted body hits the bed at day’s end, I can truly rest because of the same reason Mary could. That little baby grew up to be the Messiah you and I need. And for that, a weary me rejoices.
I know for a lot of y’all, including us here at TKP, the complexities of life and the stresses of tomorrow threaten to steal the rest and restoration that Jesus came to give us. But I pray that this Christmas, your heart and mine are reminded of that true gift we are meant to receive — not just at Christmas, but because of Christmas.
Thank you so much for journeying with us this year. May this holiday season be filled with rest, anticipation, and excitement for what the Lord has in store for next year.