Day Eleven: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

Reading (by Erin Mashaw)

“God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day…” At first glance, those words might feel trite or dismissive, especially if you’re going through a difficult time.

You could hear it like, “Just rest and don’t worry because Jesus was born on Christmas.” But this isn’t the Christian version of that Bobby McFerrin song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

It’s not a “God’s got this, so don’t worry” kind of message; it’s a “God’s got YOU no matter what and he’s with you every step of the way.” It’s not “Ignore your circumstances.” Instead, it’s “Remember that your circumstances don’t have the last word.”

The song is asking for God to rest your heart. And we need God to bring rest because there is so much around us to dismay or to be concerned about.

But how do you rest in the middle of disruptive circumstances? You rest by remembering what Jesus has done for you and that your story isn’t finished.

The world is not as it should be. Not even close. But that’s exactly why God sent Jesus to redeem the world and to make things right again. He gave his life so that we could have hope and rest as we trust in him.

Matthew recorded Jesus’s words when he said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

We are not alone. He is always with us.

So, what is causing you to dismay? What are you most concerned or worried about? And what can you do this week to let God rest your heart?

Prayer:

“Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing what my heart needs. Help me to trust that you are with me no matter what may come my way.”