Last week my body crashed. I overworked my body coming from a very spirit-high global event. And as everyone who comes down with a flu, the feeling is really sucky with joint pains, fever, watery eyes, cough and colds. I have no choice but to go on bed arrest.
It’s in these times at the height of a 40 degree fever that my reading had to be these verses in Exodus:
For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. – Exodus 31:15
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. Exodus 35:2
These verses clearly showed my sinfulness. I personally am confessing that I do have the tendency to be workaholic. It comes naturally for me to multi-task: homeschool, home manage, run a business and do ministry work. I even justify this as “I am doing exactly what God wants me to do.” But this time around through this sick bed experience, God spoke to my heart.
“I don’t need you to do anything for me. I just need you to rest in me. Sabbath is a day for you to worship, recharge and rest. It is my gift to man. Sabbath is my design.”
So in my sick bed – I repented and praise God for sparing my life. It is true, if we don’t rest – we will eventually die faster. When we don’t know how to keep a simple principle of 1 day rest from the whole week – we can guarantee: sickness, pain and poor results. We cannot be at our 100% to do God’s assignment when we are weak.
As I was resting. God again showed me something special about my children that I don’t usually see because I don’t get sick often. As I was laying like a log in bed… my boys one by one would peek through the room.
JD who is 4 years old immediately touched my forehead and he instantly started praying for me. I love his prayer:
“In the name of Jesus – fever go away. Body be healed. All evil spirit – Go out in Jesus name.”
Then he would ask with child like faith – “Mom, do you feel better already?”
I never realized that my son is already practicing the gift of deliverance and that he has such a strong gift of faith.
Ezra comes in next and ask if I needed a cuddle. He made sure my blanket was wrapped around my body and that I had enough water to hydrate. He also prayed for me with a simple “God please help mommy feel better.”. Ezra has the gift of empathy. He would never leave your side if that is possible. He looked at my condition and he asked if he could comfort me. The ultimate comfort was in prayer.
Matthew asked if there is anything that he could do. He gave me a massage because of all my joint pains and I did feel better. Matthew has a gift of pastoral care. He asked what he could do and since I was in pain, he immediately got down to massage me.
I thank God that my boys have these gifting wired in them early. God showed me that when we do rest – we get blessed. What you are worried to leave behind (as work) – God will raise other people to come along side you and help.
I am better now and a lot wiser. I choose not to replace my Sabbath for an opportunity that can ruin me. This is one trait that I want my children to embrace. Not every battle can be fought today. So take a rest and regain strength – so that you can be fit to fight another day.
