Resting Near Him vs Resting In Him

The Lord said to Moses: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)

God offers the same to us. The Presence of God means rest and peace in life. However, so often we simply go through the motions and don’t step fully into His presence, especially when we are busy or stressed or distracted by all of the other ways life can distract us. We fall for the lie that we have too much to do. Instead, we walk all around God’s presence. We do the right things. We serve in the right places. We tithe to our church. We sponsor children in need. We attend church weekly whether online or in person. We listen to Christian music. We have scripture up in our homes.

We are in the right room and that room is FULL OF LIGHT, because the Lord is there. But, stepping into the presence of God and accepting the rest and peace that follows is our choice that takes a slight shift in thinking.  

Resting Near God vs Resting in Him

The Lord actually taught me this lesson through my dog. 

Have you ever thought you were in a room full of sunlight and then noticed that patch of sunlight that seems brighter and warmer than the rest of the room? Our 7-month-old puppy loves to sleep there. If you have a dog or a cat, you can probably relate. When she rests there, I see how much more LIGHT she rests in. I thought I was in a sun-lit room, but seeing her there I noticed I was actually sitting in the dark by comparison.

Laying down in that sunny spot, is the difference between resting near the Father and resting IN the Father. The difference between the motions of rest and entering into the holiness of rest. The difference in being near the presence of God and recognizing that the presence of God leads you to step into rest and peace. 

Where do you want to rest?

Need more rest? Join the club.

Well, it’s not an actual club with a free secret decoder ring, but you will receive a digital download of my 4-Day Devotional, Simplifying Rest, as a free gift. Plus, the 4th of each month I’ll send you 4 resources to help you get the rest you need. YES! I need more rest!