In our house at the moment things are all go – there have been school inspections, parents evenings, letters of application to be written, job fairs to be attended, school lunches to be made, furniture to be sold, tyre fires to be avoided, sick children to be tended, removals quotes to be gathered, a business to be sold and a million other things that I’ve probably forgotten.
Moving house is stressful. Moving house with kids is more stressful. And planning to move house and jobs, with kids in tow, to another country when you don’t even know where you’re going yet ….. well, its off the stress scale as far as I’m concerned.
But in all of this I have found some solace. We have started attended church again – which is in itself a minor miracle based on the chorus to teaching ratio(!) – and I have had a song echoing in my ears for the past few weeks that I return to almost every time I swim or shower or drive the car alone. Many years ago now I was lucky enough to sing with the amazing Iain Cotton at YFC services, and when he wrote the song “Lay Your Burdens Down” it seeped into my soul, and here it is continuing to bleed out of me in my moments of reflection and need. Maybe someone more talented than me could add it as a link??? Anyway…..it highlights the verse from Matthew 11
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
I pray that all of you who have burdens lay them down at the foot of the cross, and receive the respite you need and deserve this Lent.
Oh and a small footnote…….
It was only when I was looking up the passage in alternative versions to my youth bible that I remembered this is of course translated to “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” in the Message ….. which has become an anthem of sorts for Sanctuary. No wonder it gives me such peace! Much love to you all.
Thanks Charlie, I love that verse, it was the one I mentioned in my blog as well. They are beautiful and yet also challenging words. I find it so hard to slow down, take rest, trust God, particularly when things feel like they are going wrong!. I was thinking back this morning to this time last year, we were just beginning to come out of very difficult 6 months. During that time I spent each morning swimming and praying desperately for God to hang onto us, I reached a point where I knew there was very little I could do to change the situation, I needed to trust God, not easy!.
It feels at the moment there are so many friends and family who are struggling, my prayer this Easter is for God’s blessing of rest over us all.
By: soniamain on March 28, 2012
at 7:22 am
thanks for this Charlie, it’s good to be able to come back to. letting go has become an impartant task for me, and at times when life is just bewildering it’s powerful to be able to let go and hold on to God. take care. su
By: TreeHouseBooks on April 6, 2012
at 7:41 pm