Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Rest (06/14/04)
TITLE: ANDY, LAZARUS & TIM By Anthony David 06/19/04 |
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By
M.Anthony David Swaroop Kumar
You might know Anxious Andy. Anybody can make him out. He is always in a hurry. Rushing from one appointment to another, he usually doesn’t have time for people. Every time you meet him, he says, “ Sorry, I am just rushing to an appointment. Could we make it some other time?”
Life rushes past Andy as he whizzes from one place to another, from one meeting to another. The concept of rest, of any sort is completely Greek and Latin to Andy. “Where is the time for me to rest?” he asks.
Lazy Lazarus is another gentleman, a gentleman of leisure, shall I say. He says, “There is no hurry. Let’s take it easy pal!” He is never in a hurry. Let the appointments go by, let the planes take off and the trains leave, he is never to be hurried.
Never to worry and never to hurry, he moves slowly at his own pace. Even time and tide will have to wait for him. Or so he thinks. “If anything can be done tomorrow, why can’t I do it the day after?”
Work is a foreign word to this gentle man. Rest is his constant state of being. But as no work precedes this rest, the concept of rest has no meaning for Lazarus. “What is rest brother”, he asks, “ I am sure it can wait. Wait a minute.”
Timely Timothy is different. He is good steward of his time. Tim’s prayer every morning is this: “ Heavenly Father, I thank you for this new day. Teach me to remember my days…. (Psalm 90:12)” He knows that he has a limited number of days to live on this earth. Tim strives to make the maximum use of this precious resource.
From time to time Tim introspects, does time audits on himself, and recognizes his ‘time drainers’. Television, Net surfing, gossiping may be the drainers. He cuts down drastically on these drainers.
Tim seeks God’s help every morning to plan and use his day. Before he starts any project, Tim seeks the guidance of God, and His will. He finds time for God every day. He has this policy: ‘No Bible, No breakfast’.
He prays regularly and invests time in studying and meditating upon God’s Hole Word. He also makes time for his beloved family members. God gives him opportunity to minister and Tim loves to be used by God.
His workplace is the arena for evangelism for Tim. “ I believe the Lord wants me to share about Him with them. I try to do it through my walk and my talk. It is difficult, but with God’s help, I am managing,” affirms Tim.
For Tim, rest has a meaning. He rests in the Lord because he trusts in Him. Tim’s security and significance stems from the Lord God Almighty, Yahweh El Shaddai, the Provider God. So, he has no worries. He knows that His Lord is available and able for his every need.
Tim’s life is not all cozy and comfortable, but the bedrock of his life is his trust in the Lord. This enables him to rest in His Lord.
Tim began this lifestyle by first accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord. Now he walks with the Lord every day as he is being sanctified in this world. He can see himself growing – to be more and more like Jesus.
Tim makes every effort to enter into God’s Sabbath rest, by obeying Him, the Ultimate Rested One. (Hebrews 4:11) How does Tim manage to do this?
He rests from his own work. He never trusts that his own ‘good’ work will give him eternal life. He knows that the Lord Jesus Christ and He alone has been the Atoning Sacrifice for him. So, he trusts the Lord and His finished work of salvation, fully. Because of his trust, Tim rests happily on His Lord.
Trust begets rest. This rest makes Tim free. Free from worries, free from sin and free from anxieties and cares.
Anxious Andy, Lazy Lazarus,Timely Tim: whom are you like? Trust in the Lord and rest, the real rest of the Lord, will be with you. Happy trusting. Happy Resting!
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© 2004: Dr.M.A.David S Kumar.