Cat nap - Mountain Movers

Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.

(Psalm 62:1 NIV)

After a very busy week of revival services, theater tech week, and play performances, I let everyone sleep in last Saturday morning – including me. Two of us were battling low grade illnesses, and all of us were tired and we finally had a block of time for some rest – thanks be to God! Wonderfully full, Kingdom-oriented activities still need times of rest and recovery.

My cat knows when it was time to rest. She has a very regular nap schedule. She’s up early (6-8 a.m.) with me and then heads to my pillow for her first morning nap. A couple of hours later we’ll find her on one of the boys’ beds, curled up in her little cat nap ball. Usually in the afternoon she’s on another boy’s bed, then up awhile in the evening, then sleeps overnight on our bed behind my knees. As cats go, she’s pretty sweet and pleasant to be around, and that morning she reminded me it’s ok to nap. It’s ok to rest. It’s ok to sit at Jesus’s feet like Mary did, to lay back against Jesus’s shoulder and just breathe in his peace.

Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)

Often preachers chastise Martha for focusing on her tasks, but today I invite you to lean into Mary’s side of the story. She sat at Jesus’s feet, listening. She didn’t hurry or rush. She didn’t worry. She just sat quietly, much like my cat who knows when to rest.

Perhaps the words to this song were something like what Mary was experiencing:

The more I seek you
The more I find you
The more I find you, the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand
Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand
I melt in your peace*

If today is a day you need to rest, use this as permission to do so. Hear, again, Jesus’s invitation to exchange your weariness and burdens for his easy yoke, and to find rest for your soul. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

If today is a day you need to work, hear this invitation to work without anxiety or worry. In the midst of work, rest in the comfort of knowing you are equipped “with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for [your] God-given task].” (Proverbs 31:17-18 AMP). In your work, know that “Your progress will have no limits when you come along with [God], and you will never stumble as you walk along the way.” (Proverbs 4:12 TPT)

Jehovah Shalom,

Thank you for the offer of peace you give to us, through Jesus Christ. Thank you for gentle reminders like napping cats that invite us to sit at your feet, drink from the well of your peace, lean back into your arms of love, and find your rest. Help us to lay all our burdens, anxieties, and cares upon you and to take up your light and easy yoke. Equip us with spiritual, mental, and physical strength and fitness for our God-given tasks so that our progress will have no limits when we come along with you. Holy Spirit, help us seek you, find you, know you, love you, and honor you, we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.