Follow Me Week 8
- Heritage Church
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
TRANSCRIPTION:
Happy Monday! And welcome to another week of your Follow Me discipleship journey! We have covered a lot of deep and heavy stuff over the past 7 weeks and I have no doubt that at times you have felt like you were trying to drink from a fire hose! If so, then I have a feeling this week is going to be quite the timely reprieve as we tackle the final chapter in part 3: Living like Jesus, Chapter 8 - Why Did Jesus Rest? And Why Should We?
If you’re anything like me then you like a good nap! As a dad of two little kids I am often baffled by the lengths they will go to in order to AVOID taking a nap! Honestly, if I could just take the nap for them I would readily and eagerly do so! Especially during the extra busy seasons of life when I feel like I am running from sun up to sun down, burning the candle at both ends, and barreling towards sickness or maybe even burn out!
We tend to forget that we are not superhuman, that we cannot do all the things, and that there will never be enough time in the day for us to accomplish all we feel is expected of us! And it’s in these times when we feel like we just need to calendar better, sleep less, or work faster in order to accomplish all that our day's hold that we, in reality, need to be pressing pause, re-evaluating our calendar, and re prioritizing that beautiful 4 letter word - REST!
John Mark Comer, an author and teacher, was quoted in saying “To rest is to embrace our limitations and let God be God.”
That’s a statement that will stop you in your tracks! Despite what our minds might tell us, when we rest we are not being lazy and we are not failing ourselves, our families, or the Lord! Instead, we are, as John Mark Comer so succinctly put it - embracing our limitations and letting God be God.
Let me ask you something—how often do you fall into bed at night completely spent? After racing through school drop-offs, meetings, practices, dinner, bedtime routines—you’re done. And somewhere in the chaos, your time with Jesus slipped through the cracks again.
Sound familiar?
In a world that glorifies hustle and busy schedules, rest feels like a luxury we can't afford. We say things like “I’ll rest when I’m dead”—as if burnout is a badge of honor. But here's the truth: God designed us for rest. Not just naps and days off—but deep, soul-level rest that restores, re-centers, and reminds us who’s really in control.
Even Jesus—the Son of God—rested. In Luke 5, we read of a time when crowds of people came to hear Jesus and be healed after He had already spent a long day ministering. And what was Jesus' response? He withdrew to quiet places to pray. He stepped away from the pressure to perform—even when people needed Him—to rest in the Father’s presence. Why? Because we can only help others as much as we’re spiritually healthy ourselves.
And it goes even deeper. Rest is actually God’s rhythm. In Genesis, after creating the world, God rested—not because He was tired, but to model a pattern for us: work hard, then rest well. He even weaved rest into creation itself. Don’t believe me? Just go ask any farmer about crop rotation and soil health!
This rhythm of rest is called Sabbath, and it’s not just about stopping. It’s about trusting. Trusting that God is in control. Trusting that the laundry, the deadlines, and the emails will never define our worth. Trusting that God provides even when we pause.
Think about the Israelites in Exodus 16. As they wandered through the desert God miraculously provided food for them every single day—except on the Sabbath. Why? Because He wanted to teach them (and us) that provision doesn’t come from hustle, but from Him. And when some didn’t trust and gathered more than needed - It spoiled. Just another clear reminder to us that rest is God’s way of saying, “Let Me take care of you.”
We see this desire of the Lord in Matthew 11:28 when Jesus said “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus doesn’t promise us fewer responsibilities—but He does promise peace. Resting in Him means walking in step with Him. It’s not a life without effort—it’s a life without striving.
So this week as you work through your daily study I hope you take time to Stop. To Breathe. Tp Lay your to-do list at His feet. To remind your heart and your mind that though the world says you’re falling behind—Jesus says, when you just stay in step with me, you’re right on time.
LINK TO KIDS CHAPTER
LINK TO WEEK 8
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