He leads me beside still freeways…

He leads me beside still freeways.

*sigh*

These were the words that echoed in my mind as I sat (still) on I-5 headed south. I had given myself plenty of time. Checked the traffic. Headed to a speaking event in Salem, and even gave myself a few minutes extra so I could pray and gather my thoughts once I arrived.  But then, once I took the freeway onramp, too late to take any other route, I saw the stopped traffic, checked my navigation again, and saw the grim prediction: 2 hours to destination.

Yikes! Two hours? The event will be almost over by then!

I made the appropriate phone calls, alerting leaders of my unavoidable predicament. I texted Jeff, “Can you look up alternate routes for me??”

That’s when I heard the bizarre rendition of Psalm 23:

He leads me beside still freeways. 

See, I was headed south to speak on Psalm 23, a word for weary moms on REST. God has been ministering to my heart about what it means to embrace rest as a godly spiritual disciplines, and how He restores our souls. I was eager to share from the Scriptures with these women, but here I was, sitting still on the freeway.

Then I heard in my heart: Rest.

Rest? Here? Um…the verse says “still waters.” Remember? That’s where I rest. Remember? Green pastures. There are no green pastures here, only concrete and cars.

Rest here?

I thought about it: Really there was nowhere I could go–the freeway bridge over the river was the only route south. The only thing to do was wait.

I wonder then, if the call to wait is really just a call to rest. 

I wonder how many restful moments I miss because I’m anxiously waiting instead of patiently waiting. 

Sure, we’re not called to complete passivity. I knew there was an accident, and I also knew God wanted me to speak His Word that morning, so I interceded according to what I believed to be His will. I prayed for whoever was in the accident, for their safety and salvation. I prayed that God would orchestrate the timing and the traffic so that I would still be able to serve these women that morning. I prayed that He would work all things together for good for us and that He’d conform us to His image.

But then, I could rest.  I had lifted up the circumstance to Him. Now I could,

“Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him.” (Ps. 37:7)

I could “commit my way to the LORD,” I could “trust in Him and He will act.”

Of course, the traffic cleared. The dear ladies rearranged the morning and, true to Him gracious character, God orchestrated everything gloriously. We were blessed by a powerful morning, looking together at the truth of God’s Word and the only way to find rest for our souls.

Still waters and green pastures aren’t the only places we can rest.

We can find soul-rest when I’m less concerned about the environment around me and more concerned with the environment within me. 

Trust creates rest. 

This was only traffic. I get it.

But isn’t the mundane what prepares us for the miraculous? Isn’t the ordinary was trains us for the extraordinary? Every single day is preparation. If I can trust Him with traffic I will be better able to trust Him with tragedy.

If I believe Him for parted freeways I can believe Him for parted seas.

So can you.

{Happy Monday. May your waiting be resting. Thanks for reading.}