MARCH 5, 2013
Forced
Leisure
Read: Zephaniah 3:14-20
The Lord your God in
your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will
rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love, He will
rejoice over you with singing. —Zephaniah 3:17
Just
before Christmas one year, a friend was diagnosed with leukemia and
was told
she must begin chemotherapy immediately. Just a few weeks earlier,
Kim had told
friends how blessed and content she felt with a loving family, a
comfortable
home, and a new grandson. As she entered the hospital, Kim
asked Jesus to make
His presence known to her and to stay close.
The
next 7 months of treatments followed by recovery in partial isolation
became a
season she calls “forced leisure.” She says she learned how to slow
down,
reflect quietly, and rest in God’s goodness, love, and perfect plan
—regardless
of whether or not she would be healed.
One
of God’s promises to His people Israel became personal to Kim: “The
Lord your God . . . will save; He will rejoice over you with
gladness, He will
quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with
singing” (Zeph. 3:17).
Kim
is in remission after a journey she says changed her life for the better.
Now
back in her busy routine, she often pauses to recapture the lessons of
“forced
leisure.”
How
important that we—in good times or times of challenge—draw near to
God’s loving
heart to hear His voice and place our lives in His hands.
A troubled heart, a wearied mind
Are burdens hard to bear;
A lack of peace, a heavy load
Are lifted by God’s care. —Fitzhugh
People are at the heart of God’s heart.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
