{"id":3695,"date":"2015-07-01T10:16:26","date_gmt":"2015-07-01T14:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=3695"},"modified":"2015-07-01T13:27:49","modified_gmt":"2015-07-01T17:27:49","slug":"worship-wednesday-rest-the-lord-is-near-a-reminder-by-steve-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=3695","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Rest, the Lord is Near – Reminder by Steve Green"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Baptist Press<\/a><\/p>\n

You keep him in perfect peace <\/span>whose mind is stayed on you,<\/span>
\n<\/em>because he trusts in You. <\/em><\/span>Trust in the Lord<\/span> forever, <\/span><\/em>for the Lord<\/span> God<\/span> is an everlasting rock.<\/em> – Isaiah 26:3-4<\/span><\/u><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

It was an early morning on the streets of\u00a0Casablanca, Morocco.\u00a0I was surrounded by other drivers headed for work. They were not in my thoughts – except to stay clear in the crowded intersections where merging and turning happen skillfully or magically.<\/p>\n

My thoughts were centered on the car in front of me where two friends were heading to a hospital. The wife was prepped to have surgery that morning to\u00a0see if the\u00a0problem in her abdomen\u00a0was cancer. I was going with them for the occasion that day\u00a0that she would need extra help and a woman to stand in for her husband. It was the custom for such things there.<\/p>\n

She was a dear friend in those overseas days\u00a0– the other mother to my sons. Friends with her son, they loved\u00a0eating at her guy-friendly table or taking over her salon to play video games or watch a movie. This woman was a rock in her family’s lives…and ours. As I watched her, from behind, so small, beside her husband, jostled in the crazy traffic…I prayed.<\/p>\n

Troubled with the possibilities and prospects of a life-changing diagnosis, my mind ping-ponged all around, even in prayer. Then, a song came up in my playlist…and every other voice in my head went silent. It was this old song by Steve Green<\/a> entitled Rest, The Lord Is Near<\/em>. You hear people tell stories of hearing God speak to them, almost audibly. This was one of those moments for me.<\/p>\n

After that, I knew, whatever the outcome of her surgery, that she (we) would be alright. Nothing would change in the larger story of our lives. Most importantly, in that moment, I remembered that God was the same. Loving Father, Great Physician, Tender Comforter, All-Wise God.<\/p>\n

The surgery went very well. She would be fine. My boys still love to feast at her table…and we are still friends…although living worlds apart now. What I was reminded that day, in my car alone in Casablanca traffic, was less about healing…or answered prayer…and more about God’s call to us to rest.<\/p>\n

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Baptist Press<\/a><\/p>\n

Sometimes that rest is like the sleep of a child, safe in the care of a loving, watchful parent. Even in Steve Green’s song, he\u00a0delivers it as a lullaby really. How often we just need an all-out separation from the stresses of life…either in a respite in God’s Word, or a change of place (in our garden or by a sea, any sea, for me)…or sometimes just plain sleep. They are all rest in their turn.<\/p>\n

Sometimes the rest is more active, like it was for me that morning. I was\u00a0still maneuvering through a sea of cars, still watching my friends’ car so I wouldn’t lose them, and still praying. Yet, my state of mind moved from an anxious attention to being “at ease”.\u00a0The image comes to mind\u00a0of\u00a0the military\u00a0command. It’s defined <\/a>as “a<\/span> position<\/span> of<\/span> rest<\/span> in<\/span> which<\/span> soldiers<\/span> may<\/span> relax<\/span> but<\/span> may<\/span> not<\/span> leave<\/span> their<\/span> places”. <\/span>\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: military.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Sometimes, we can’t leave our situation, our place in the battle. We must be present. We, as believers, are “under orders” from our King. Yet, even in those daily duties, He calls us to rest. I pray today that, whatever you’re facing, you will have moments when you are able to\u00a0let go and\u00a0lean into the arms of almighty God…and remember He is just that near.<\/p>\n

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
\n<\/span><\/em>– Romans 8:28<\/a><\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me:<\/p>\n

Rest the Lord is near
\nRefuse to fear
\nEnjoy his love<\/p>\n

Trust, His mighty power
\nFills every hour
\nOf all your days<\/p>\n

There is no need
\nFor needless worry
\nWith such a Savior
\nYou have no cause to ever<\/p>\n

Doubt His perfect word
\nStill reassures
\nIn any trial<\/p>\n

Rest the Lord is there
\nLift up your prayer
\nFor He is strong<\/p>\n

Trust, He’ll bring release
\nAnd perfect peace
\nWill calm your mind<\/p>\n

There is no need
\nFor needless worry
\nWith such a Savior
\nYou have no cause to ever<\/p>\n

Doubt His perfect word
\nStill reassures
\nIn any trial<\/p>\n

Call Him, if you grow frightened
\nCall Him, with loving care
\nHe’ll lift the burden and you’ll<\/p>\n

Rest the Lord is near
\nRefuse to fear
\nEnjoy His love<\/p>\n

Trust His mighty power
\nFills every hour
\nOf all your days<\/p>\n

Rest the Lord is near
\nRefuse to fear
\nEnjoy His love*<\/p>\n

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Baptist Press<\/a><\/p>\n

*Lyrics to Rest <\/em>sung by Steve Green (Lyrics and Music by Phill McHugh And Greg Nelson<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Rest <\/em>– Steve Green (official music) from Joy to the World<\/em> album<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Jesus, I am Resting, Resting<\/em> – Steve Green<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Trust His Heart<\/em> with lyrics –\u00a0Babbie Mason<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube Video – Like a River Glorious<\/em> (Stayed Upon Jehovah, Hearts are Fully Blessed<\/em>) – by Frances Ridley Havergal –\u00a0\u00a0one of my favorite hymns growing up<\/a>\"2009<\/a>\"IMG_0023<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo Credit: Baptist Press You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. – Isaiah 26:3-4 It was an early morning on the streets of\u00a0Casablanca, Morocco.\u00a0I was surrounded by other drivers headed for work. … Continue reading Worship Wednesday – Rest, the Lord is Near – Reminder by Steve Green<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[926,690,794,50,903,18,433,761,887,1517,32,47,946],"tags":[1520,1525,1439,1412,1527,239,1835,1521,1523,1302,122,1528,697,1519,1518,1526,1524,1522],"class_list":["post-3695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-attending-or-focus","category-babies-children","category-faithfulness","category-god","category-grace","category-jesus","category-pray","category-redeeming-restoring","category-remembering","category-rest","category-walk-with-god","category-wednesday-worship","category-worship","tag-at-ease","tag-babbie-mason","tag-dads","tag-doubt","tag-fear","tag-friends","tag-jesus","tag-lullaby","tag-military","tag-moms","tag-peace","tag-release","tag-rest","tag-resting","tag-steve-green","tag-trust","tag-under-orders","tag-worry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauPAB-XB","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3695"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3730,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3695\/revisions\/3730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}