Rest … (July 2018 Update)
Probably nothing is more difficult for me than learning to rest. Even when I take a vacation, it takes me a few days to slow down and stop thinking about the things I need to get done! This is doubly true spiritually. If you ask me, “What is the hardest thing for you spiritually?” I would answer, “Learning to rest in the Lord.” I think most other believers would say the same. While the Bible is full of admonitions to rest in the Lord, it is the one area we struggle the most with. So, I’m learning to rest – but it is the hardest thing for me to do!
Rest in the Lord! …
Well, how can we rest in the Lord? First, rest comes when we have done all that the Lord asks of us. Rest is not merely passive; it comes when we know we have done all the Father asks. Jesus had this perfect rest (John 8:29). We must first do all He has commanded us to do and then we can enter into His rest. Psalm 37:3 reminds us, “Rest in the Lord and do good.” Not merely rest – but do good. This is true even for spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:13 says, “after you have done everything, stand.” In other words, we can only truly rest in the Lord, standing against the enemy, when we have done all He asks of us. A disobedient spirit keeps us from rest as well as from spiritual protection. Proverbs 19:23 says, “The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” True rest begins when we have done all the Lord commands. There is no peace or rest for the disobedient soul!
Second, “cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you!” (1 Peter 5:7). Also, Psalm 46:10 tells us to “cease striving and know that I am God.” Rest comes when we do all He has called us to do, and then we put everything in His hands and trust Him for the outcome. We cease striving.
Third, to rest, we must trust the sovereignty of God. On the Sabbath day, the Israelites were told not to gather any manna. They were to gather a double portion on Friday and to trust that God’s provision would be enough. We cannot rest unless we learn the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:12). We learn to be contented with what a sovereign God has provided for us.
But God’s desire for us in not only spiritual rest, but physical rest. Jesus told His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:30-32). Even in creation, God rested on the seventh day as a pattern for man (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11). Jesus corrected the Pharisees when he reminded them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Rest refreshes us so that we are able to be ready to serve the Lord another day.
Resting in the Lord is definitely the hardest part of the Christian life! It is far easier to be active in ministry than to take time to rest. I’m learning, and I’m trying to learn to rest in the Lord, not just for my physical health, but for everything in life. It’s a lesson easier to teach than to live! I’m learning ….
Preparing for Classes …
My main task in July was to take some time to rest. But there is always something that needs to be done. This summer is no different. I’ve been working on syllabi for the Fall and will begin posting classes to our online server soon. I am looking forward to teaching Soteriology and a Church Planting class at Kiev Theological Seminary. I will also be teaching Prayer and Worship in L’viv. It will be a busy September and October teaching before we leave for the states in early November. So I will be teaching as many classes as I usually teach in 3 months in just two. Hopefully, my preparation time now will allow me to rest more in September and October.
Preparing for Harvests …
Even when resting, there is work to be done. Much of our work has been harvesting some fruits this month. In July, apricots are ripe and we make jelly, syrup and dried apricots and apricot juice (compote). The apricots were a reminder to me of the Israelites in the wilderness. Every morning, they would wake up and go out and collect manna. Apricots in July are kind of like that. Each morning, we take a couple of large bowls out and collect apricots. Even while we are filling the bowls, more apricots keep falling from the trees like manna from heaven!
This year, we also used the “June fall” apples from our trees. Every June (usually early July in Ukraine), many unripe apples fall from the trees, kind of a nature’s self-pruning. But we hated seeing so many apples wasted. So we did some research. While it is unhealthy to eat these green apples raw, if they are cooked, they can be eaten. We found recipes for green applesauce and for apple jelly and so we used all our “June fall” apples and have jars of applesauce and jelly for the fall – even before the real harvest begins.
We have been eating fresh green beans and radishes for about a month and now we are beginning to get cucumbers, and tomatoes won’t be far behind. Also, potatoes and zucchini should be coming in next month too. Our growing season is much different from Arkansas. Our last frost in often mid-May and our first frost is mid-September. So our first harvests come at the end of June or early July. So we try to maximize our harvest and we can or dry as much as we are able. This helps a lot in the winter when prices for fruits and vegetables can double! Plus it is a lot of fun to go out and pick fresh fruits and vegetables from our garden!
Enjoying Summer …
July 13 was Nadia’s 3rd birthday. She is growing up rapidly and beginning to lose her toddler speech and actions. This is such an enjoyable time; we hate to see it go. But we are also excited to see her continue to grow up into a young lady. On her birthday, she had a special waffles and fruit breakfast and, by special request, hot dogs on the grill for lunch. We made home-made pizza for her birthday dinner. Those were her special requests.
Both girls are growing up quickly. They love the outdoors and working in the garden and talking walks. They have great senses of humor and they make us smile a lot!
In addition to celebrating Nadia’s birthday this month, we also had a lot of company, including Katya’s nieces visiting us (they now live in California). The girls all had a great time playing together, even setting up an assembly line for doing each other’s hair!
Finally, we even took some time to visit the zoo in Kiev. It is a pretty good zoo for a former Soviet republic. Like everything here, there is a great need for repair but government funds are limited. Still for about $3.00 each, you can’t beat the experience. The girls love the animals but it seems like they like the sculptures (and ice cream) better! Katya and I agree!
Ukraine, Continuing to Minister …
Things continue to be the same in Ukraine in terms of the war. In the East, the daily conflict continues. There is worry, especially in Mariupol on Azov Sea. Russia is stepping up activity trying to cut off Ukraine’s major port from using the Avov. This city has been a constant target of Russia since the beginning of the conflict since it represents a major piece of Putin’s “land bridge” to Crimea. So far, Ukraine has resisted but we never know when Russia will try to take this city or at least to weaken it through an economic blockade.
In terms of ministry in Ukraine, July and August are months when many churches and ministries conduct summer camps that focus on outreach. Nearly all our students participate in 1 or 2 every summer. Some work in camps all summer. Pray that these camps will open the hearts of the non-believing so that some will come to faith through these efforts this summer.
Thankful for you …
We hope the Lord is giving you rest this summer. We have enjoyed seeing the various vacation spots from Canada to Colorado and everywhere in between on Facebook posts. The Lord calls us to serve Him but He also gives us rest so that we can serve Him with freshness. We pray that you will all have some time to rest and enjoy all that the Lord has given! We are grateful for you and your support which allows us to minister and also to have times to rest! May we all learn to rest in Him!
By His Grace,
Jim and Katya
Kristina and Nadia
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