Resting Place

They have forgotten their resting place

Jeremiah 50:6

Rest. It’s such a peaceful, soothing word. Think about it for a moment. When I meditate on “rest”, it makes me want to take a deep breath and exhale slowly. It’s a mental picture of relaxation. Now think about the opposite. It is a picture of being harried and hurried – running from here to there. It’s chasing but never catching. Jeremiah paints that picture for me. Jeremiah employs the familiar imagery of lost sheep. The sheep run from mountain to hill. They have followed shepherds who have led them astray. For me, it’s a reminder that we sometimes chase after empty promises. In Jeremiah’s day, the “shepherds” were notorious for leading the sheep astray. But, Jeremiah promises something different. In the midst of the words of judgment, Jeremiah describes a return to the Lord. That’s what catches my attention. It’s clear from the text that the people of Judah had forgotten God. But, Jeremiah 50:6 expresses it in a different way. The people had forgotten their resting place. I believe that refers to both place and person. They had forgotten that God is a resting place. When our busyness pushes God from our thoughts and our days, we forget our resting place. When we pursue other agendas that exclude knowing Him and the peace that God alone provides, we our “rest” deprived. When we listen to voices that tell us that we are too busy to rest in God, we are being led astray. I understand what it means to live a busy life. My calendar is full today. My “to do” list is significant. That’s all the more reason for me to take a deep breath in the midst of it all, exhale slowly and rest in God today.