"O Thou who art my quietness”

How easy it is for us to be overtaken by life’s events, both great and small, and forget the “rest” in which we are to live. Even when we are not in control of many of the situations we have to deal with, we lose the Sabbath rest that is spoken of in Hebrews when we become worried and stressed.

Hebrews 4:1
“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.”

Hebrews 4:9-11
‘So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.’

Of course, the true Sabbath rest that that the writer of Hebrews speaks of in chapter 4 is our life in Jesus.

I love this quote from Brother Lawrence’s “The Practice of the Presence of God”: “The time of business,” said he, “does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess GOD in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament.”

Amy Carmichael speaks to my heart in this poem-prayer-meditation that a friend gave me a while back and which I always pull out when I’m am having a hard time:

"O Thou who art my quietness, my deep repose,
My rest from strife of tongues, my holy hill,
Fair is Thy pavilion, where I hold me still.
Back let them fall from me, my clamorous foes,
Confusions multiplied;
From crowding things of sense I flee, and in Thee hide,
Until this tyranny be overpast,
Thy hand will hold me fast;
What though the tumult of the storm increase,
Grant to Thy servant strength, O Lord,
And bless with peace."
-Amy Carmichael

Lord, how easily we get caught up in the cares and stresses of everyday life and forget to enter Your rest! Teach us by Your Holy Spirit to quickly run to You when we are frazzled and worn. Thank you for Your promise of rest!