The Long Sigh (Pt. 1)

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 ESV).

 

Through the years I have had the great privilege of knowing many people. I have found that many of them have had a significant influence in my life; and, some have become life-long friends. One of those is Alex Pazdan. I met Alex while living in Tennessee. We have had many hours’ long conversations dealing with many topics and circumstances. His knowledge of the Scripture is incredible. We have also talked into the wee hours about other topics, which ultimately led to our collaboration in writing Lone Star: Independence, my first foray into historical fiction.

 

I give this background to provide a bit of context for today’s devotional, The Long Sigh. While we were talking this past Monday evening, he simply said, “I really need a long sigh.” By his own admission he is more of an “Eeyore” while I am much more of a “Tigger.” You wouldn’t think we would have such a good relationship; but, like the characters created by A. A. Milne under the title of “Winnie the Pooh,” we seem to be quite relaxed around one another. At any rate, the more we talked the more I began to visualize my own need for a long sigh, especially after a long day of counseling. Wednesdays are such days for me. I usually being around 10 am and go back-to-back for 12 hours. Needless to say I am somewhat tired when I finally arrive home after the 45 mile drive from the office. I am much like the old man in our illustration I’ve attached to this writing. About all I want to think about is sitting in my recliner and with a long sigh, nodding off into a nap.

 

I’m convinced that just like Alex and I, there are many more people like us than not. You may be in need of a rest in your journey today. Jesus beckons all of us to that kind of rest. Our reading today is that call. We’re going to examine this passage in more detail in the coming days and cite some practical ways to experience that feet propped up, eyes closed serenely rest. Today, would you begin to redirect your thoughts away from the stress and difficulty of your circumstance to the provision Jesus has already made and proffers to us through His grace? Start there. Go ahead, prop your feet up. He’s got this!