Perfect submission all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest
Watching and waiting looking above
Filled with His goodness lost in His love
Blessed Assurance 1873
By: Fanny Crosby (1820-1915)
Listen to this worshipful version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.
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Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we begin our journey through this well-beloved hymn rest in the assurance being in Christ provides to you. This is our story and song, praising Jesus all the day long. Let’s tune our hearts.
How Can a Yoke Lead to Rest?
The beast of burden pictured above conjures all kinds of thoughts I imagine. The point of it for our purposes here is to illustrate something Jesus taught. It pertains to the connection between a yoke and rest.
A yoke is the collar worn by an ox or other animal that connects to different tools and allow a farmer to use the power of the animal to assist his work, i.e. planting, cultivating or harvesting. When Jesus used that term in addressing his largely agrerian audience, they would have understand what He was teaching. We might not.
Jesus is teaching that the yoke of His words was much lighter than that of the religious leaders and Pharisees. Taking His yoke would lead to rest as opposed to constant turmoil, labor and uncertainty. Their yoke was very heavy and His was not.
When we learn Jesus’ way and being to walk in it we find a rest for our souls that was before unimaginable. But it is still work. Simply not nearly as toilsome as others we might choose.
Perfect submission all is at rest
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29 ESV
What is the best way to find rest for your soul? Submit to God. Taking His yoke means learning His ways. When we determine to do that we position ourselves to learn how to rest even in the midst of our doing, because we remove the toil of wrestling with God. Take His yoke.
When we learn to submit perfectly to God’s will we discover the marvel of things coming to a place of rest in our souls. That does not mean there is no chaos around us, simply that there is none within us. All is at rest. Ask God to help you discover that today.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments ask God to show you how well you know HIs yoke. People often think they know God better than they actually do. Be certain that is not the case for you. Make this your simple prayer today “God, help me discover Your rest through surrender.” Then trust Jesus to help you it.
Living IN Jesus
Maybe even more difficult to understand than finding rest in …… is how to live IN Jesus. Much of our evangelical language creates imagery of Jesus coming to live in our hearts, in us, and while this is true it could be limiting our understanding of what it means to give our lives to Christ and find new life in Him. Think about it this way.
When you walk outside and the sun is shining you are walking in the light. The presence of the sunlight is everywhere. You can bask in it and enjoy it’s warmth and brightness or you can shield yourself from it’s effect.
In a similar way, when you surrender your life to Christ and begin your walk with Him you are walking in the Son. His presence is everywhere. You can bask in it and enjoy His warmth and brightness or you can shield yourself from it’s effect.
The choice is yours.
There is an inextricable connection between your happiness and your living in Christ. Are there happy people who know nothing of Christ? Of course, but it could be argued there happiness is not an enduring, eternal one, but a more temporary, temporal one. Still happiness, just not like that which a Son-follower an know at the deepest level. That is what the hymn writer is asserting.
I in my Savior am happy and blest
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3 ESV
Where is the most certain place to find happiness and blessing? In Christ. But what does that mean? I am no longer more concerned about my purposes and ways, but am learning to surrender to His. My life is hid with God in Christ. There I am happy and blest.
That rest comes in proportion to the extent we live with an awareness of being in Christ. We surrender to His will and gradually learn the wonder of our lives being in His. This ushers in not only rest, but happiness and blessing beyond imagination. Ask Jesus to help you live in Him.
Jesus, help me live my life in You.
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and consider how aware you are of Christ’s presence through your day. It can make all the difference in your happiness. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Jesus, help me live my life in You.” Then trust the Spirit to help you practice that every day.
Jesus, thank You for the light and life of Your presence. Help me to walk every day with a greater awareness of these incredible truths. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Radiant Tuning!
Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.
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Video 31.3 Transcript
Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.
Perfect submission all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest
Watching and waiting looking above
Filled with His goodness lost in His love
When we learn to submit perfectly to God’s will we discover the marvel of things coming to a place of rest in our souls. That does not mean there is no chaos around us, simply that there is none within us. All is at rest. Ask God to help you discover that today.
God, help me discover Your rest through surrender.
That rest comes in proportion to the extent we live with an awareness of being in Christ. We surrender to His will and gradually learn the wonder of our lives being in His. This ushers in not only rest, but happiness and blessing beyond imagination. Ask Jesus to help you live in Him.
Jesus, help me live my life in You.
There is an incredible blessing in learning to live in Christ, but greater still is the delight that will be ours when we are finally in His presence eternally. To that end, we learn to watch and wait for His return because of the promise it holds. Ask the Spirit to remind you to look up.
Spirit, remind me to look up.
Even while we wait we are overwhelmed by His goodness and love toward us. This is remarkable for we still live in a fallen world filled with hatred and badness. His presence with us in the midst of them is a blessing beyond measure. Thank the Lord for His presence.
Lord, thank You for Your presence.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.
Sing
Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post Finding Rest and Being Blest in Surrender appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
Perfect submission all is at rest – https://pixabay.com/photos/animal-cow-ox-beef-isolated-yoke-2887950/
I in my Savior am happy and blest – https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-sky-sunlight-arms-open-arms-2667455/
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