Who here needs rest? You’re bone-tired and can hardly think? Who here needs joy? Your life is nothing but trial and turmoil and hurt and shame with no end in sight?
God was telling Jeremiah of His heart for Israel, His wandering people. He would punish Israel because she would not turn away from the things God despised.
God never told of impending punishment without pointing out that there would be an end to it. Here He explained to Jeremiah that the end of the punishment (exile) would be sweet and His people would return not only to Jeresulem and the land of Israel, but more importantly, to Him.
He knew the people not just tired like needing sleep, but deeply spirit-tired. They longed for the return of God to their midst.
Do you know what the next words of Jeremiah are?
“At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.” God had given him what He was saying Israel would have one day.
Jeremiah had not experienced the exile at this point, yet God gave Him sweet sleep. I mean, can you imagine how tiring giving God’s message to people who didn’t want to hear it, who wanted to kill the messenger to stop hearing it? That rest for Jeremiah was as much a gift to him as the peace and rest the nation would have when they returned from their exile.
Don’t get me wrong here. Every bout of insomnia, every sleepless night is not a punishment for sin! There are many reasons that could cause it, but the answer is still the same: God gives rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowful. He fully satisfies the weary, broken, tired soul and replenishes the languishing – the one weakened and wasting away.
You may have tried everything to be able to attain this sweet rest God offers and while I don’t have a definitive answer for you, I see that the Word offers something that no medicine can.
Lean in to Him today. Ask Him for that peaceful, replenishing rest He told Jeremiah of. Ask Him to be restored. Then, when you have that night of blissful, wonderful rest when you awaken refreshed, praise Him. Say it out loud! (You might even praise Him for sweet, blessed sleep before you go to bed – before you’ve had it – believing that He will provide it for you.)
Whatever it is that you’re battling or striving against, realize that God knows what that is and is waiting for you to drop it and lean on Him for the rest you need.
Every giant shrinks in the hands of Almighty God.
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
