The Work of Righteousness ~ Finding Quiet Serenity in Christ

A peaceful place near our home

Rushing, hurrying to and fro;
Why must we all stay so busy
And on the go?

Nobody is immune.
Loud is the cry of life’s demands,
Of things to do.

In the midst of the grind
Is a call to a place serene.
There peace, you’ll find.

The work of Christ provides
  A quietness for us,
When we abide.

Every Wednesday I have off from work.  Rather than use it as a time for rest, I typically scurry around by grocery shopping and doing other necessary errands.  By the evening, my weariness tells me that I crammed too much into my time off.

This Wednesday began no differently.  While driving home around noon, having already finished an appointment and loaded the trunk of my car with groceries, I got stuck at a long red light on the way back.

Finding That Life is Too Busy

As I waited, I noticed the steady flow of cars passing by.  I recalled the long lines I had just encountered at the supermarket.  As I pondered all that I still had left to do, I realized that just like for all the others out there, life gets busy.

I started thinking about how few of us slow down enough to enjoy the peace God’s righteousness affords.  We all have obligations, but life spent too busy to abide in His rest is not the life God intends.

Sure, we may start the day with quiet time with the Lord, but then often leave His presence to forge into the day.  We too easily forsake the quiet serenity derived from having His presence within.

The day before, the busyness had taken its toll on my tired body.  The sweltering heat, unbearable this time of year in the South, made me feel even more miserable.  Since I needed a break from the intense pace, I convinced my husband to join me for an evening outing to a nearby lake.

Finding Quiet Serenity in Christ in Spite of Busyness

By the time we arrived, the intense heat had dissipated ever so slightly.  The colors of the clouds in the evening sky were remarkable and the reflections on the lake soothing.  The glow of the setting sun gave the surroundings a colorful peacefulness.

My husband and our dog in the gazebo

This reprieve from life’s rigors helped restore my calm, and we all need this on occasion.  Yet God’s peace is available anytime.  Through the cross, Jesus did the work of providing us with peace and rest in Him.  However, to partake we must abide in His presence, no matter life’s busyness.  Isaiah 32:17 portrays the eternal rest found through salvation, but it also speaks of the quiet serenity His righteousness affords. 

Since I am a Martha by design, I doubt I will ever arrive at continually abiding in the Lord’s peace.  The next time I long to get away from the rat race, though, I don’t have to escape by strolling along some peaceful lake.  In God’s presence I find everything needed to calm my frazzled, wearied soul.  It is a place we all can unwind, finding rest from the noisome demands life brings.

Whenever I think on the quiet peace found in the presence of Christ, though, I will remember the photo of the lake.  To me, it is but a mere glimpse of the blessedness of that serenity.

What do you picture when you think about the quietness and rest found in the presence of Christ?

Sue Nash/2013

For similar posts, see Random Thoughts

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