My son and I went to a Boy Scout toy boat race called the Rain-gutter Regatta. He did not win after two attempts and was very upset. I was very sad to see him sad and I wondered what to say to him to make him feel better. Thankfully, he took some time and got some rest and felt better eventually. It made me wonder about those crazy kids downtown who were upset about their candidate not winning the national election beating people up and destroying others property. They obviously needed a time-out!

A few weeks ago, I went to something called the Freedom Summit 2016 where Michelle Malkin (http://michellemalkin.com/) and Allen West (allenbwest.com) and several radio show hosts gave talks about conservative issues. This was before the election. You could cut the tension in at the conference with a knife. Everyone was on edge. When someone said, “Well if Clinton did win….” everyone would boo or try to silence them. One of the speakers said, “Come on guys only the left does that kind of thing!” The tension around the Summit just made me sick, literally. I ended up leaving before I could get Allen West to sign my book and that made me really mad since I really respect that guy and wanted to meet him. I almost fell in the parking lot but got to my car and drove really slow and got home and crashed.

In the past week, we here in Chicago have been on the edge of our seats with the World Series and then with the national election. Both events have really taxed us. However, I was very thankful that both turned out well, for the Cubs and at least for the guy I voted for (for once). I so wanted to see the people on Saturday Night Live eat crow! I also considered getting a Trump t-shirt and going to stick it to the anti-Trump protesters in Chicago! However, I do not want to be a person who kicks people when they are down. Those idiots downtown, beating people up or destroying the property of someone I don’t know over politics, need to let it go. I certainly do not remember any protests going on when Obama was elected, twice!

All of these things made me think about the holiness of rest. The Lord even said He rested on the 7th day after making the world and it is in the 10 commandments to keep the Sabbath day as a day of rest. You know that Jesus was in a physical body and that body needed its rest. Another one of the most important stories of rest to me is in the story of Elijah. One day, Elijah was called upon to demonstrate the power of the Lord to 400-450 prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:17-40). Can you imagine that? Four-hundred people versus you? Talk about the pressure! Now the text reads in a way that Elijah was pretty confident. However, it seems that it took more out of him than he was letting on. I say this because after the miracle happened, one woman came against him named Jezebel and Elijah ran away in terror. I am sure it must have been one important woman but still it was one woman and before it was 400 men. Anyway, in 1 Kings 19, an angel came to him and commanded him to arise, eat, and then he fell asleep again. And then he did it again. The third time it was in preparation for a forty day journey. The point is that the Lord is aware that we are but flesh and bone and we get tired.

To take rest when we are tired is a holy thing. It is necessary for our body and our mind to take a rest so that we can use 100% of what we have for His glory. I encourage you to observe the Sabbath, however you define the Sabbath or however you define observing it.

Matthew 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls

——————————————————————–W.