Tip of My Iceberg

It’s a few days before Christmas, and panic is settling in the hearts of the unprepared.

Like me.

Haven’t done the baking, haven’t gotten all the gifts, haven’t even thought of stocking stuffers. The decorations I thought of putting up are still in boxes.

Oh, the things I’ve not thought of!

My inbox is filled with the whispers of “last minute gifts, guaranteed to arrive on time”. Taunts of “the special gifts you know they’ll love”.

I don’t believe any of it.

What I do know is that at this time of year it’s easy for me to get sucked into the last-minute buying frenzy.  Wanting someone else to know what my family and friends need.

Bah humbug.

I’m no Scrooge, but I refuse to be sucked into the Christmas con of buy now, buy lots, spend more.

My ace in the hole this year is a tiny lad who knows precisely what he needs. He knows when to ask for it, knows when to chill, and sleep when he’s tired. He doesn’t care a whit what others “say” he needs.

Have you ever noticed how relaxed babies are when they’re sleeping? They tune out all that’s going on around them and close their eyes. Rest as it was intended to be.

Restorative.

When Beck wakes up, he’s slept as much as he needs. He then eats as much as he needs. Enough to meet what’s required for growth and health.

His peacefulness is contradictory to what I feel when falling asleep. I can’t turn my mind off. Responsibilities, people needs, deadlines. Did I finish what I was supposed to do? Did I forget anything–or anybody? With information at my fingertips, I can feel overwhelmed by the availability of facts and the need to know more to make good choices. Add to that the immediacy of connection, the urgency of required responses, and it feels like our convenience is a tough taskmaster.

Rest is a ceasing of work to refresh, restore and revive ourselves. Even in our play, we compete to be the best and lose sight of restorative fun.

We don’t know how to rest.

Christmas can often feel like a race to do everything. Expectations we put on ourselves to buy gifts, decorate the house, bake seasonal goodies and host holiday parties blinds us to the true rest of the season.

Jesus came to allow us to find rest for our souls. Not be overwhelmed by being good, hoping our best stuff outweighs our bad. He came to provide a ceasing of striving on our part to be something we can’t be.

Perfect.

When God rested on the seventh day, it was a sign of His finished work. When we rest, it’s a sign of our inability to work without ceasing.

Jesus’ arrival here was the provision for us for true eternal rest. The hope we need to pause and wait. To receive what we can’t provide for ourselves.

I’m taking a page from Beck’s book. He has to trust his parents to provide for his needs. So he can rest.

Trusting Jesus for rest?

Only in Him will I find my calm.