“Make me an instrument of peace”. That’s how one of my favourite songs, a prayer by St Francis starts.

Why does it appeal to me? Because I am often a person who sways to and fro like a bruised reed in the wind, restless.

People have spoken into my life by the Spirit and told me God wanted to put me in a place of rest. And recently I have learned more of it.

A week ago I was at a beautiful three day conference about the Holy Spirit, and I learned the importance of being with God and just being there. Being in silence for a long time, just sitting, or lying and breathing and praying a bit. Not really trying hard, and just being with Him. And it was so important for me.

So important.

A while back, I was praying about the Christian life, and I felt God was explaining to me more about that He wants us to live from a place of peace. This was perhaps a year ago. (Now lest you think that I am a super Christian to be hearing from God, please rethink that – I mess up this whole thing more often than not, and I believe God wants to speak to us each individually. That can happen through His Word, and through other ways). Anyway, I felt as I was asking God about it, that our fundamental position, the first attitude we need when we approach the Christian life, may be one of ‘at ease’. And  the picture came to mind of the Sound of Music film, where Maria tells the kids to be ‘at ease’.

They come down the steps, at the beck and call of their father’s whistle, in perfect marching order. And then Maria wants them to please relax. So she tells them ‘At Ease’. And they interpret that as another order, and get into a certain position: the ‘at ease’ military position. Even then, they don’t relax. As Christians we can try to contort ourselves into all kinds of different postures and positions to please God. Do these twelve steps. Find your purpose-driven life. Fast so many times. And even when we ‘relax’ we may try to follow a formula.

But God wants us to relax and to operate from a place of rest. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also work in His kingdom and fight darkness and do good, but it means that we need to do it from the right place. (This is how I understand this at present, but of course feel free to test what I am saying here.)

We need to do it from a place of rest and forgiveness. “Why are you striving to earn grace?” the lyrics of a beautiful song, By Your Side, state: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFvQQt6Nbh. When Jesus died on the cross, it was finished. Our work was finished and it became God’s work.

And in the book of Hebrews – an amazing book, God says that there is a Sabbath rest for all believers. This rest means we can rest from our works. We can stop earning/striving/or trying to be perfect.  It is God who does it in us. We receive His gift. Yes we do what He has called us to do: but first of all, we receive His love.

We love because He first loved us.

Gulp his love in long draughts and quench the thirst in your soul.

Then go out and do good and share what is overflowing from within.

Live, don’t strive.

And first: rest in Jesus; rest in His love.