Preacher: Pastor Elie Hamuli
Welcome to our year of Rest and Acceleration! It’s an opportunity to witness God’s faithfulness as promises that have labored for many years come to pass swiftly. It might seem contradictory, but through faith and revelation, we can grasp the simultaneous concepts of rest and acceleration.
Even though it’s beyond our understanding, we can rely on the ways of God, as the master of time and space, who, like turning water into wine, can bring about instant transformations. This year calls for us to depend entirely on God’s methods rather than our own, allowing all our actions to result from God’s influence.
Galatians 5:25 and Amos 9:11–13 make it clear that “rest” means Spirit-directed action, not lethargy, laziness or inactivity. Having received the Holy Spirit through salvation, we follow His lead and we are entrusting our walk to the power that makes no mistakes. He maximizes circumstances that yield results while sparing us from what wastes our efforts.
Rest also provides an opportunity to know Jesus more deeply. In Luke 10:38-42, the focus of the two sisters was different – one on receiving and the other on serving. Martha’s frustration, as seen in Luke 10:40, stemmed from the stress of serving. While her concern was valid, the problem lay in her misplaced emphasis, leading to frustration.
She blamed her sister Mary and Jesus for her distress. On the other hand, if Mary had understood that Jesus wasn’t an ordinary visitor, it would have been disrespectful to do nothing while Martha worked.
The ideal way to serve God, whether in your home or heart, is to sit at His feet and draw from Him, as Jesus came to feed, not be fed. Unfortunately, finding rest, even in God’s presence and promises, can be the most challenging thing to do (refer to Hebrews 4:1–11).
As servants of God, we must eagerly embrace this faith rest-life, recognizing that God has provided everything we need from the beginning. To be Spirit-led, relying on the Word of God, allows us to rest in God even when circumstances might make us anxious. Trusting God for rest is crucial for our journey.
