It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested. — Exodus 31:17 (NIV)

It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. — Exodus 31:17 (ESV)

In reading this piece of Scripture, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps God didn’t really need to rest, but he chose to. Then I wondered if he did this more as an example for us because he knew we would need times of rest. I’m sure God does many things that he never tells us about, so what’s the significance of him telling us this?

Somehow, if God were to say, “I don’t rest but you need to,” I don’t think it would have the same impact on us, especially since we, by nature, try to be our own gods or create gods out of our endeavors.

Perhaps it’s because I’m getting older, but I find I desperately need that day of rest, time to just unplug from the push and shove of the world. I even made steps to cut off the clamors for my attention on the weekends by turning off Twitter and staying away from my computer on Sundays. For me, this has been a great solution to reduce stress and recharge my battery for Monday.

I’m so grateful we have a God who teaches not only by his Word but by his actions, too. He could have kept that to himself, as I’m sure he keeps many things, but he chose to reveal it to our benefit.

So I’m learning to take those times of rest, on the weekend and sometimes for few minutes during my work day. Just to stair out the window by my desk and drink in a few moments of God’s creation.

How about you? What do your moments of rest look like?

Praying and believing,
Dineen

I looked at the huge box sitting there. It contained the much awaited copier I wanted. Looking at the box a voice of reason told me to wait for help to lift it to the top of the desk. However, patience has never been my virtue so I didn’t listen. I decided, “Hey I can handle that.”

Flexing my superwoman muscles I effortlessly lifted the copier out of the box (yeah, right). By the time I had lifted it halfway to the desk I knew I had made a huge mistake but I persisted and succeeded in getting it on top of the desk.

However the next day, I could barely get out of bed.
A visit to the doctor,
three days off from work (can’t teach if I can barely stand)
and several weeks of pain brought me to the sad realization that I was not the superwoman I thought I was.

As I lay there in pain I thought about what had bought me to that moment… in a single word… impatience.

Impatience will cost you. It can cost you money, friendships, pain and suffering or any number of consequences simply because impatience is often followed by bad decisions; Case in point, my superwoman moment.

Somehow when I think about decisions in my life it always help to find biblical counterparts who made similar bad decisions had similar experiences. I found a lot, all in one verse.

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Exodus:32:1

Moses was on Mount Sinai in the presence of Almighty God. The Israelites had seen and experienced God bringing them out of Egypt, protecting them and providing for them in the desert. Yet when they saw that Moses had been gone a while they became impatient. This moment was followed by a bad decision. The bad decision was followed by even worse consequences.

What I like about the story is that the consequences were followed by repentance then forgiveness. But, wouldn’t it be even better to simply practice restraint, avoid making a decision that we know the Holy Spirit is cautioning us not to make and bypass the negative consequences?

Years later I can still remember those three days on my back and sometimes when I’m tempted to rely on my own strength, or help God bring His plans for my life to pass I remind myself that impatience will cost me. The question is do I want to pay the price?

God bless,

Bernadine

…commenter # 6 - Karen at Hallelujah Anyhow!

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Happy Groundhog day!

If you aren’t familiar with it, Groundhog Day is a “holiday” where we watch to see if a groundhog sees his shadow when he emerges from his burrow. If he sees it, folklore has it that we will have to endure winter for 6 more weeks! If the little guy doesn’t notice his shadow, then we can expect an early spring. I know….. it sounds silly. But, alas, for those of us up to our eyeballs in snow and ice, it’s a fun distraction.

You may have seen the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray. Bill plays a grumpy, self-centered TV weatherman who has to cover this silly event every year in Punxsutawney. Well, he reluctantly does the story on the “star” groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, and is mean to anyone and everyone in his path. When a snowstorm strands the news crew in town overnight, Bill finds himself reliving Groundhog Day over and over again. After weeks of waking up February 2nd to the day and town he HATES, he decides to use the time to make himself better. We watch as he is transformed from this selfish, mean man into a kind, caring person who tries to use the “do-over” day to help the people of this little town. He becomes a “changed man”, really loving others, not just for his own selfish gain, but because he genuinely cares for them. And, you guessed it, he gets the girl, and wakes up to find it February 3rd.

It reminds me of how stubborn I can be….refusing to leave my selfish ways. Sometimes, I feel like I am stuck in my own “Groundhog Day”, going around that same mountain!

But, I can celebrate that God will not leave me STUCK in that same old grumpy, self-centered mindset! No, He is transforming me little by little….from “glory to glory”. I can rejoice that “He who has begun a good work in me WILL carry it on to completion.” (Philippians 1:6) As Max Lucado says, “God loves me just the way I am, but loves me too much to leave me that way.” He wants me to reflect the image of Christ…..in all that I do….all that I say….all that I think…..all that I am. And, He will give me plenty of “do-overs”- opportunities to get it right!

“And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transformed into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord (Who is ) the Spirit.” 2Corinthians 3:18 AMP

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2Corinthians 3:18 NIV

Father God, thank You for Your patience with me. Thank You that You forgive my selfishness and me-centered attitude. Thank You, though, that You do not leave me that way, but that You transform me into the very image of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You that it is a process of “glory to glory.” Help me to be patient with myself as You continue to do this good work in me. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Please visit me at my personal blog:

where we can share our own personal “Groundhog Day” stories! Oh how I hope Phil didn’t see his shadow!