Fired From Running Your Own World
In Isaiah 30:15, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,’” NIV. The prophet Isaiah uses an interesting word for rest as he instructs his readers, with a meaning that we would not expect. The word for rest used in this verse is the Hebrew word nachath, pronounced nakh`-ath. (Sounds a bit Klingon, doesn’t it?) It means “to sink, to descend, to comedown, to depose.” The definition for depose is “to remove someone from office or position of power.”
As a kid in church, I often heard my youth pastor ask, “Who is on the throne of your life. Is it you or are you letting the Lord reign in your desires and decisions?”
That question always gave me cause for pause. As a type-A person, I was proud of the fact that I planned my work and worked my plan. Almost without realizing it, I could bump God off the throne as I mowed through my busy days.
When I took a mental inventory and repented of trying to be queen of my own life, and quietly trusted the Lord to be in charge, I found far more strength to deal with the challenges life dished out. If I failed to depose myself and comedown from the throne of my heart, then my selfishness landed me in hassles and heartache. The notion of resting in this verse implies resting from the job of running your own universe and leaving that job to the Lord who is far better qualified to handle it.
I’m trying. How about you?