It's About Time

I saw an interesting movie trailer the other night for In Time, a thriller starring Justin Timberlake. What intrigued me was the premise: a future society where the ultimate currency is not money, not land, but time. According to early reviews, “in the not-too-distant future, scientists have discovered a way to turn off the aging gene. As the threat of overpopulation looms over society, money becomes a thing of the past. Now, assets are measured in time; those with the most time also possess the most power. Meanwhile, the lower classes are forced to barter with the new elite if they want to live forever.”

Don’t know that I’ll ever see the movie, but the concept is compelling. And it rings true. What we all wish we had more of is time. Time to get stuff done. Time to go here and there. Time to stay busy. And certainly, more time to relax. What appears to be most elusive in this frenzied, not enough time, society is rest. Not a yoga, hmmmmmm-type relaxation, but what the Word refers to as stillness, the ceasing of striving. Rest. And there is much in the Word to establish the importance of resting, of finding rest…of actually pursuing rest.

Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “Be still and know that I am God.”

Psalm 62 says “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. “

Luke 10:38-42 illustrates the restful posture of Mary, as compared to the busy, but un-peaceful, attitudeof sister Martha.

Hebrews 4: 9-11 cautions: “There remains, then a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their examples of disobedience.”

These are but a few of the references that are the basis for this week’s choir special.

‘Til They Rest in You

Comes an honest moment when each heart looks inside
Finding nothing here on earth truly satisfies
Some choose to ignore the ache, some confess it’s true
God, our hearts will have no peace ‘til they rest in You

Ev’ry pleasure, ev’ry thrill never is enough
Every trophy, even gold, simply turns to dust
Most still search to find real joy yet they never do
God, our hearts will have no peace ‘til they rest in You

We yearn, we thirst, we stumble in the dark
Discontent, for You’ve set eternity within each heart.

Thank You for my desperate days, feeling incomplete
Thank You for Your loving ways, leading me to see
Jesus You are all I need, nothing else will do
God, our hearts will have no peace ‘til they rest in You

Lord help me to live to reach others with this truth:
God, our hearts will have no peace ‘til they rest in You.

Resting in God is less about relaxing and more about relinquishing. The writer to the Hebrews tells us that “anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.” Tired of striving? Tired of working for fulfillment, acceptance, significance? How about waving the white flag of surrender?

Take time. Make time. Put intentional space into your day or week to meet with God and consciously give Him your stress and weariness. And then take Jesus at his word in this busy season: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28)

-tad