This last week I was introduced to a hymn called Jesus I am Resting, Resting, and it has been on my mind all week. Here are the lyrics:
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.
Refrain
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
O, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Belovèd,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.
Refrain
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!
Refrain
Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.
Refrain
There is something about these lyrics that I love. I spend so much energy trying to do what is right and to live for God, but don’t slow down often enough to just rest and find out the greatness of His heart, to see His beauty, and to enjoy the wonders of His love and His blessings.
The reality is that I often fail while working hardest; it is while simply resting in Him that I walk in obedience most often. There is a real mystery in resting while working. Rest is not to be confused with laziness, but neither should activity be confused with obedience. Yes, there is warfare, but the battle is won. Yes, there is work, but the power is His. For the Christian “rest” is to go about his daily duties while allowing God’s power to flow through him, to keep him from sin, give him wisdom, and reveal ministry opportunities.
“Rest” is to take in all of the beauty, grace, love, and power offered by Christ, and “work” is letting it all flow out to others.
That is what makes this old hymn so very refreshing.
By the way: go here to listen to a sample of the contemporary version of this song by Matthew Smith on his album All I Owe. He has done an outstanding job keeping the original lyrics and writing his own music.
