Finding Peace
in the Way of Jesus
Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t move? Like, the whole world was too much to handle? Almost all of us know what it’s like to want to hide under the covers and avoid the stress and pressure of the day.
But it’s not just one or two of us; we live in an anxious world. Our kids, teens, young adults, middle-aged, and elderly all seem to struggle with this physically altering emotion. Anxiety causes our heads and stomachs to hurt. It can even be paralyzing to those whom it overwhelms. It seems to be running rampant in our world. COVID came, and it seemed to make things even worse!
Everywhere we look, we see sicknesses made worse by stress and anxiety. So, how do we live into the peace of Jesus in the midst of it all? What does it mean to come to Him and find rest for our souls? It sounds wonderful, but also a little impossible. (Don’t forget we serve the God that makes all things possible!) It seems like we've been told this so many times, yet the anxiety, stress, and pressures of this world are still here! We even begin to wonder, is Jesus’ peace real?
Jesus Offers Real Peace
Jesus says to us in Matthew 11, verses 28- 30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Read those life-giving words again, this time from The Message paraphrase,
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
These words offer something so many of us – all of us really, need. We need Jesus.
“Come to me.”
First, to find this peaceful, needed rest, we must look in the right place. We can't find it when we look the whole world over, but don’t look to Jesus. He’s the one who has it. We must come to HIM! No amount of vacations or fun play time can restore our soul. Binge-watching TV or playing video games will not give us the rest we need. Seeing God’s beautiful creation and spending hours with family and friends are all wonderful, but they are not Jesus. To find true rest, we need Him.
“All who are weary and carry heavy burdens,”
All we need when we come to Jesus is need. He doesn’t require that we bring big fancy gifts or massive amounts of money. All He asks for is us. Bring our need to Him. How beautiful and wonderful is it that our God wants to love on us so badly that He calls out to us, saying, “Bring me your need, your emptiness, your brokenness, and I will give you all that you need!”
Such love is spoken in that statement. He wants to care for us. He knows we are burdened. He sees our pain, our exhaustion, and our trying. He sees us.
Let that soak in. God Sees You.
And He promises, “I will give you rest.”
Rest, true soul quinching rest. It’s a gift. Grace. We can’t make it or earn it. There is no way we can deserve it. It is a gift of God. We are no longer slaves in Egypt. We are no longer enslaved to our bills or our work. We are no longer slaves to our to-do list. We are no longer enslaved people to the things of this world. We are free in Jesus. Free. Because He has given us a gift. The gift of rest.
How Do We Find It?
“Take my yoke upon you, let me teach you,”
To find the rest Jesus gives, we must learn how to live His way. We must begin to do things differently than the world around us. Differently than we did before.
What is His yoke?
His teachings rhythms and patterns. How did Jesus live while He was here on earth? What wisdom has He given us in Scripture that tells us how to live? When we live obedient to Him, we find rest.
But do we have to do it perfectly? I know I can’t do that. He never demands perfection. He knows we aren’t perfect. That’s why He came as the perfect sacrifice. He gives grace. Such amazing grace! Over this school year, we will look into what Jesus’ rhythms were and what other wisdom we see in Scripture that helps us walk the way of Jesus and find His peace.
I want to invite you to join us.
Living into the ways of Jesus
The first four things we will be looking into are that we must live differently than the world, spend time with God, read His word, and walk with him always as Immanuel.
Living Differently Than The World
It's long been said, “If you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you always got.” We want something different; we have to do something different.
If you know me, I’m a big believer in being intentional. When we are intentional, we don’t just end up somewhere. We make choices that lead us to a specific place or way of being.
The question becomes, how do we want to live? Do we want peace enough to choose different things to get it? Do we desire peace more than we desire fun? Or experiences, or thrill? Do we want peace more than our way in this world? Or to be accepted by others?
The first thing we must learn if we desire Jesus’s peace is to live differently, to be okay with others thinking we are different or weird.
We must change.
But what changes do we need to make? Peace isn’t simply about giving up or adding things to our schedule. It’s about choosing what’s best over what’s “good enough.” And sometimes, that does mean adding or removing something from our schedule, life, homes, etc.
But mostly, change means keeping our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus.
Spend Reflective, Intentional Time with God
Time with God can (and should) be anywhere and all the time. But we also need intentional time that we set aside to connect with Him.
We schedule meals every day. We have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But then we also have snacks, unscheduled just because I’m hungry or want them. Our time with God is like that, too. We need the planned and the spontaneous. We need both. But the spontaneous is more likely to happen when we don’t neglect our planned time. (You’re more likely to eat veggies at a meal than at a snack.)
We need regular time with the Lord. Praying, remembering who God is, and submitting to Him. We need to be still before Him, with our hearts, minds, and bodies. Stillness can be challenging. But when we discipline ourselves, we learn not only how to do this but also how it changes us and leads us closer to peace.
We need time daily when we speak of His power and greatness. When we recall who we are talking to – the creator of the universe and God of all. He sits on the throne and rules over everything. He is God! We must remember who we are and who He has made us to be – His people. Made in His image and loved dearly, deeply loved.
We need time when we intentionally ask for the things we want. Tell Him we want His peace, and ask Him to show us the way. We need time to consider what He is asking of us. How is He calling us to sacrifice, give, or live differently?
We need time to examine our hearts, and to ask God to show us ourselves, our fears, our movitives, and our desires. We need time to thank Him, notice His goodness, and look around and be thankful. When we regularly plan time with God, our peace has space to grow. We give ourselves space to listen to the Holy Spirit and let Him reveal to us what He needs us to give to Him in our lives.
Without a regular relationship with God, what do we have? Is that not the core of our faith? That Jesus came to have communion with us. When do you take time to commune with Him?
Read the word of God.
Not only do we sit and share our hearts with God and listen to the Holy Spirit, but we also open His word.
The word became flesh and dwelt among us. The word is Jesus. If we abandon it, we abandon Him.
As part of that daily intentional time we spend with Him, we must open His word and read. Ask Him to reveal Himself anew to us each day. It’s never stale and old when it’s Jesus. It’s always fresh and new. Pick a book and work your way through it. Read your Sunday school lesson, or read other supporting texts to what your Sunday school lesson is teaching (or small group Bible Study).
Write down things that stand out to you in the text or questions you have. Ask God to show you His mysteries and to open your eyes and heart to what His word is teaching.
It’s not about the amount. Read one verse, or 4. Read a chapter or read until the narrative has a natural stopping point. There isn’t one right way to read Scripture. The key is to do it and do it diligently.
Acknowledge the presence of God – Immanuel.
After we have begun to sit with God and spend quality time with Him, after we have learned how to read His word and listen for His voice, it becomes so much easier to notice His presence.
They called Him Immanuel, God with us. He came to tabernacle (or dwell) in our midst. The Holy Spirit lives inside of those who follow Jesus. He is ALWAYS with us!
But we have to notice Him. Be attentive to His presence. Talk to Him, and remember that He is there.
As you go through your day, you do not walk alone. Walk with Jesus. Talk about Him and to Him. Make Him your very best friend! Have coffee with Him, wink at Him in the grocery store. Smile at Him, and know that He is smiling back at you.
The gift of Christmas (yes, I know it’s fall) is that of Immanuel, but it’s the gift for every day. The gift of Immanuel God is with us, is an every moment, all-the-time gift that gives us peace for our souls. God is with us, so everything will be okay. God is with us, so it doesn’t matter if my to-do list has to wait. God is with us, so there is always time to breathe deeply, smile, and give and love. God is with us. Here, today, and always.
What tremendous peace that offers. That is a light burden, an easy yoke, and a rest that will rejuvenate your souls. As we look further into what exactly the way of Jesus is, join us for more rest and peace for all.
May the God of rest fill you with His peace and presence as you rest in Him.
This September, we are doing a mini-series on Psalm 100! During Children’s worship and on Wednesday Afternoons and evenings, we are hiding God’s truth in our hearts and bulking up our belt of truth with this powerful piece of God’s word!
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Sunday school is still in full swing! If you have children on Sunday mornings, bring them to Sunday School at 9:00! This is the ONE time during our week that we focus on learning Biblical History or the stories of the Bible. This time is SO important!
With school starting back, things are falling into routine! We have a great group of kids at Ultimate Wednesday. If you are interested in helping every week or every other week, please let me know!
To our parents (and Grandparents):
I would like to continue to encourage you to take a few moments each day to pray with your kids and encourage them to pray with you. Model an active prayer life and time in the word for your kids. When they see you do this, they will be impacted!
TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS EVERY DAY
It’s Fall Yall!
The Summer has flown past us, and now we are at the doorsteps of Fall. Even in the changing of the seasons, a sense of normalcy and routine now comes from school starting and having a schedule that is sometimes predictable. But that does not mean things are to be like they always are. This Fall, our Wednesday studies and Grove Youth sermons are focusing on getting to what it means to find truth in God’s Word and having a relationship with Jesus. Everything we learn and do should draw us closer to Him and help us grow into looking less like us and more like Jesus.
How are we “spending time with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing as Jesus did?'“
Help us encourage our teens to grow in Jesus! With so much that tries to distract them, they need us to love them where they are and be the hope of Jesus that walks with them in Jesus!
Thank you all for the continued prayers and support for our Kids and Youth ministries here at Elm Grove. As we are looking at fall and winter, we know we need more volunteers to help us love our kids and volunteers effectively! We are asking for everyone to pray with us for God to provide! There are areas to help in small and big ways that make an impact on the lives of our kids and youth.
Grace & Peace, Pastor Jonathan ~ Youth Pastor of Elm Grove Church
Each week we recognize one of the families in our congregation. We ask that you lift them up in prayer and find a way to encourage them. Please take a few moments to send them a message, call, or in some way, let them know that you are thinking of them. If you don’t know who they are, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know some new people! We love all of our community here at Elm Grove and are so glad that you are part of it!
August 6th ~ VBS Participants
August 13th ~ Donna Rose
August 20th ~ Elaine Barfield
August 27th ~ Claxton McLawhorn
In Loving Honor of Benny Cox by James and Jennie Lou Garris
In Loving Honor of Randy and Annie Tyson by James and Jennie Lou Garris
In Loving Memory of John M. Baker by James and Jennie Lou Garris.
In Loving Memory of Virginia W. Spence by James and Jennie Lou Garris.
In Loving Memory of Jane C. O’Donnell by James and Jennie Lou Garris.
