Rest in the Wrestleਨਮੂਨਾ

DAY 2: THE POSITION

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬). Our first order of business, when facing moments of unrest or uneasiness in our body, soul, or spirit, should be addressing our position and posture. Identifying and abiding in our power source; the central processing unit of our faith, Jesus Christ, is where true transformation is forged. When I reflect on my most spiritually enriched seasons of life, I can almost always attribute my flourishing growth to the closeness I felt with the Lord. Remember the woman with the issue of bleeding for twelve years? Her greatest need and desire to penetrate the throng of people to be near Jesus. Her goal was to merely touch of the hem of His garment (Mark 5:25-34). Our hunger and thirst for spiritual intimacy with Jesus will position us for optimal access to our ultimate source of power. He doesn’t say “all who are sinless, spotless, and blameless seek me and you will find me.” He invites all who invite Him. Our pursuit yields access to a Holy infusion of spiritual strength. Power and energy are contagious and infectious. I believe the Kingdom of God is filled with a family of believers who, when spiritually aligned and like-minded, are like extension cords sharing God’s power with others. We feed off one another’s spiritual strength and life-giving acts of service and encouragement.

Position matters. I remember attending football games in college where our team was consistently a winning program. We, as a fan base, expected to win every game. We expected championships every year. I remember the electricity in the stadium on game day and how deafening the crowd’s cheers were in celebrating a score or a victory. We felt like part of the team, part of a family supporting a university and its players. It was exhilarating! Years later, I continue to follow and support that team, but rarely am able to attend games in person. Watching it on television doesn’t carry the same weight as experiencing it with my five senses. There’s something powerful about position. We can pray for God’s people (which is great and necessary), or we can serve God’s people. We can talk about church, or we can fellowship in the building with other believers. Position creates proximity, which magnifies and intensifies the depth and enrichment of our experiences.

The disciples had a front row seat to the power of Jesus and His ministry. I assume that those who heard the stories of miracles and salvation from a distance were not impacted as greatly as those walking closely alongside Him. I can only imagine what it would have been like to witness firsthand the cross and resurrection. I imagine the magnitude of watching that gruesome sacrifice, and the ultimate act of love, would have permanent positioning in the forefront of my mind forever. The power of an experience far exceeds the impact of an anecdote or secondhand account of that same experience. Thankfully, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so we might have access to our Heavenly Father. We have the ongoing opportunity to bring our hearts before the Lord and experience the power of position at the throne of Grace daily. Powerful healing is accessible to those whose heart possesses a posture of humility and surrender. This is a crucial starting point if we desire rest in the wrestle.

REST AREA

• Write 3 things you think about when you awake in the morning and assign the time your actions for that day are aligned or devoted to those thoughts. How can you improve your spiritual positioning and proximity to your Heavenly Father?