True Rest

As I, and many others, head off on annual leave over the summer (ha, ha…am I the only person who has grown gills this June?) a thought that as we rest, sabbath, and vacate together - we need to consider both what we rest from and who we rest in. You have probably come across these words at some point…

In repentance and rest is your salvation

In quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15)

Beautiful words indeed, the quietness and rest seductive in a frantic world. But Isaiah wasn’t prophesying these words to go directly on to a Christian fridge magnet or to adorn an encouraging tea towel or greetings card. There was chaos in 8^th century Judah, and Isaiah, prophesying into that chaos, was bringing a warning – the word ‘woe’ at the beginning of chapter 30 is probably a clue. The warning was this: if Judah wants to escape Assyria’s threat from the North East, then running into the arms of Egypt in the South West is not going to do her any good at all. In verse 7 he puts it rather bluntly – Egypt ‘is utterly useless, therefore I call her Rahab the do-nothing’. But there is another option…

In repentance and rest is your salvation

In quietness and trust is your strength

…and clearly that is the invitation before the people of God, both then and know. The problem with these two lines is the line that immediately follows… ‘but you would have none of it.’  Seven desperately sad words really.

Judah when faced with the Assyrians fancied propping herself up with Egypt, not the LORD. When in our innermost being there are issues relating to insecurity, guilt, self-worth, rejection, rather than run to God when faced with this quasi- Assyrian onslaught we turn to Egypt for help and prop ourselves up with a myriad of things that include overwork, overspending, overeating and drinking, and illicit relationships and the resulting diminished intimacy in the relationships that actually matter.

The authentic journey to rest this summer begins with repentance not a weather forecast. What am I resting from? Who am I resting in?