For teachers and students, the school holidays bring a welcome change of routine. Many activities also press pause at this time and there is an opportunity to slow the pace a little. It is a time that reminds us that taking a break and finding time to rest, reset and refresh is important.

Psalm 23 reminds us that the Lord, our Shepherd, can bring us into places and spaces of rest and restoration:

“He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still and quiet waters.

He refreshes and restores my soul.” (v 2-3a AMP)

The message version writes verse 3 this way: “True to your word, you let me catch my breath”.

God wants us to take time to rest, to ‘catch our breath’, to be refreshed and restored for the journey ahead. When we are restored, and we have ‘filled our cup’ we can look outward and serve others from the ‘overflow’. An almost empty cup does not have much to share. Take God up on his offer to bring you to a place of rest and stillness, allow time with him to restore your soul, catch your breath and fill your cup.

“If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing, and thus communicates, without loss to itself, its superabundant water”. ~ Bernard of Clairvaux

Blessings,

Sarah

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash