A Place to Rest

Sometimes I get in the habit of setting my heart on some future, imaginary restful place instead of finding rest in The Lord right here where I am today. I became aware I’d been doing this lately thanks to a wonderful dream I had a few nights ago. I’ll share it with you.

I dreamt I needed something to eat and a place to rest. Looking around, I decided nothing nearby was a good enough option. I wouldn’t even take a bite of the enormous chicken salad sandwich I was holding until I’d found a perfectly restful place to enjoy it. I went outside and, after some time searching, spotted the perfect place—the peak of a steep, mossy mountain covered in trees where the sun shone down, warm and comforting. I knew that was the restful place I’d been longing for. But it was going to be a difficult climb, especially while carrying my enormous sandwich. So naturally, I decided to throw the sandwich as far as I could toward the peak and climb up after it. My aim was amazingly accurate, landing my sandwich right there on the sunny peak.

I hadn’t climbed very far before I noticed something peculiar. The mountain wobbled slightly as I climbed. Just a little at first and then more and more until I became suspicious of the whole structure. I pounded my fist against it, to see how it would respond. The whole mountain quivered like jello. It began to tear and then crumble. I was shocked to find that it wasn’t a mountain at all, but only a thick layer of moss that had grown on and around the upper portion of some impossibly tall trees. It had grown together into the shape of a mountain. The trees themselves grew up from a deep canyon—so deep I couldn’t see its base. As I watched the fake mountain crumble and fall into the dark canyon below, along with my chicken salad sandwich, I was struck by how near I had come to falling into that canyon too. The restful place on which I’d set my heart (and my sandwich) had been an illusion. 

Since having that dream I keep thinking of how God offers Himself as my hiding place, my fortress and place of rest. He says He will provide a table for me even in the presence of my enemies. I’ve been reading the book of John lately and over and over again Jesus says, “Come to Me.” It’s a directive set in the present. Right now, right where I am, I can come to Him. He doesn’t sit waiting at the peak of a steep mountain I have to climb. He’s right here. And any mountain I face in this life, He faces it with me.

 Blessings to you, right where you are as you come to Him. No need to climb to find Him. Just an inclination of your heart will do!

~Amy