The Perfect Harmony

Resting.

You would assume that since I haven't written an entry in so long, I have probably been resting a bit. I wish that were true. This summer has been one of the busiest summers of my life. And today my goal was to rest.

But as I sit here 'resting' I'm feeling myself get incrementally more restless. God says over and over that the battle is his. He is God and to rest in him. What does it really mean to rest?

This theological debate has yet to die: faith and works. Well, what about the question of what is faith or what is works. What exactly does it look like? And how do they look together?

Maybe my problem is that I have a 'goal' to rest for the day. Is that in itself contradictory? Can we rest purposefully? Or is true rest something that our minds and bodies just enter into without working to get them there?

We can talk about spiritual rest, physical rest, mental and emotional rest. We can talk about work as it relates to philosophy, manual labor, or forcing our emotions...

Sometimes I think music is a good example of how the concept of faith and works mesh together. Yes, maybe there are some people that without ever practicing can whip out a guitar and play like little August Rush. But most people have to put the work into it. But someday their work flows into effortless melodies. And then even further into the future their 'work' of playing and singing evolves into a favorite past-time. Until their voices are conditioned and fingers are calloused and they no longer think about practicing, rather they just make music.

I can picture David as a young Shepherd just playing and singing out in the field for pure enjoyment. He had no need to rush. No need to hurry home. He was just lost in his music.

Of course we can apply this to anything really. Any skill, any hobby. Anything we do, we do it to the glory of God right?
I guess if I were a carpenter, I would rest in the smell of cut wood and even edges, and finished works. If I were a painter, I could rest as I imagined all the right colors and blends and then brought them to life on a blank canvas.
If I were a mother, I would come to the point of enjoying the little smudge marks on the windows from dirty hands and even the smell of baby shampoo after 'working' to bathe the child.

Maybe for me truly resting comes more easily with music; with worship.

I thank God for all the people who have recorded their music and worship songs to share with other believers. I also thank God that he doesn't care what our voices sound like or how well we play to enjoy our worship of Him.

Singing, dancing, laughing...

Maybe that's true rest.