when "not doing" is "doing"

I decided not to drive down with my husband and family to New York to be with my mother and siblings for a few days and instead take the opportunity to rest. This is completely contrary to my nature - I would never choose to do "nothing". But today as I was considering this, I realized that choosing to rest is very important - something we all need to "do." I am reminded of a story that a brother in the Lord related to me about his childhood. He was a young boy when the troops returned from fighting in Europe and the Pacific in World War II. He remembered the cheers of the crowds as the soldiers and the tanks went by his window. But he told me that the cheers got very loud at one point and he thought that these must be the strongest soldiers and the biggest tanks coming up next, but instead it was the wounded soldiers who were being carried on stretchers or pushed in wheelchairs that got the loudest cheers. He told me that sometimes it is our function to fight on the front lines and wage war, and other times it is our function to be carried. When we allow ourselves to be carried by others, we are strengthened and perhaps one day we will be the ones who carry others. This testimony has always encouraged me especially since I too often get trapped in evaluating my functioning. How wonderful to be at rest with where the Lord has placed us and enjoy the grace that He supplies either to labor or to be laid aside for a time. Watchman Nee wrote a wonderful hymn about this: Live Thyself, Lord Jesus, through me. Verse 3 says:

Every moment, every member,
Girded, waiting Thy command;
Underneath the yoke to labor
Or be laid aside as planned.
When restricted in pursuing,
No disquiet will beset;
Underneath Thy faithful dealing
Not a murmur or regret.

I am also comforted by these verses in Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come to Me all who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Footnotes from the Recovery Version:

To take the Lord's yoke is to take the will of the Father. It is not to be regulated or controlled by any obligation of the law or religion or to be enslaved by any work, but to be constrained by the will of the Father. The Lord lived such a life, caring for nothing but the will of His Father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). He submitted Himself fully to the Father's will (26:39, 42). Hence, He asks us to learn from Him.

The Greek word means fit for use; hence, good, kind, mild, gentle, easy, pleasant — in contrast to hard, harsh, sharp, bitter.

The Lord's yoke is easy! His burden is light! To strive to fulfill any law whether external or self-made is to toil and be burdened. But the Lord calls us to come to Him to find rest for our souls. He is truly wonderful.

The incision is healing - resting helps the process - I am so thankful that I was asleep during the surgery - I am a bit needle-phobic and when I heard there was going to be local anesthesia administered with a needle, I prayed that I would be asleep during that part and I was! The last thing I remember is Dr. Berkowitz entering the operating room and smiling to me, waving his mask. At the pre-op visit, he told me I would see him before the surgery without his mask on - and he fulfilled his promise.

Praise the Lord, dear ones - may the Lord richly bless you all with Life abundant!

Much love,
Joanne