"Righteous Rest"

Reaching, always reaching,

To something we can’t find,

Running, always running,

So we won’t fall behind,

The place we think we ought to be,

The future that we’ve planned,

And, yes, it’s good to have a dream,

But sometimes out of hand,

When we can’t see the simple things,

The ways we have been blessed,

And can’t enjoy the day to day,

And never seem to rest.

That’s why I love the cowboy way,

‘Cause we can slow things down,

Find a steady, happy pace,

And do it far from town.

When Jesus said He offered rest,

It wasn’t so that we,

Would have no goals, accomplishments,

And always lazy be.

He just knew we needed peace,

And if we walked with Him,

No matter what we chose to do,

It would be better then.

And out there doing cattle work,

And horseback on the land,

I find the presence of the Lord,

And strength to take a stand.

For everything I know is right,

And fight against the wrong,

Find the peace to lead the way,

And be where I belong.

Ride on, my brother, come what may,

But don’t forget your peace,

Accept the promise that He made,

From your burdens find release.

Learn the yoke of Jesus,

And listen to His voice,

And know when stress is crowding you,

To make a righteous choice.

“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, NLT)

When Jesus invited people with heavy burdens to come to Him, the promise was that He would refresh, rejuvenate, reinvigorate, and revitalize them. That’s what the word “rest” really means. It’s not just about taking a break, it’s about what happens when you take one. Sometimes people are so exhausted when they return from a vacation they need time to recover before going back to work. This is about the spiritual pause in the action that sets you free from counterproductive weights. This is about finding rest in the yoke of Jesus actually causing you to act more effectively and become more fruitful. It’s what life was meant to be.

Lord, help us find our rest in You, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, timcox.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.