On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10

          Where is your place of rest? Is it at home, is it doing something fun, is it reading a book? Everyone has a place of rest. And as busy as we humans are, we all need it. Even if we’re doing something, we can be unwinding, relaxing. For me it’s kicking back, listening to games, sports talk radio, or music. Rest takes on different forms for everyone.

          What an appropriate topic to consider in the season of Advent. The season of rest and waiting. The promise from Isaiah is the promise of Jesus, named here in the root of Jesse, the family tree of Jesus, will descend, and everything will instantly be better. Everything? Okay I get the joy, peace and love Christ offers is great. but everything? It’s unimaginable!

          But notice the last part of this verse, the place of rest will be glorious. What? More glorious than our places of rest already are now? I like it pretty well now. How can it be more glorious?

          Well truth is friends; we all need to be resting in Jesus all the time. We must rest when we’re busy, rest when we’re active, rest when we’re lazy, rest when we’ve got a lot on our plate, rest when we’re just being quiet, doing nothing. When you think about it in the season of hustle and bustle, in the Christmas tide of pressures and gifts and rushing, resting seems to be the furthest thing from our minds. And yet, the only way everything can be glorious in the end, for us to truly enjoy the glory of Christ, we must rest in God. Rest in his promise and hope. But to rest joyfully, praising him, rejoicing he’s with us, he’s coming, he’s there.

          So how are you resting? Are you singing a song, are you giving thanks, are you praying, are you being kind? There are all sorts of small ways we can rest in God as we wait for Jesus’ return dear friends.

          My prayer for us. Let’s enjoy the Christmas season, but let’s rest in the glory of why Christmas exists to begin with. Let’s not shove people away till we’re less busy but come closer together in Christ’s love and joy. Jesus is our banner, our rule. Let’s seek him, let’s walk in his light. Let’s live in him, let’s rest in him. Everything might not be perfect, but in Jesus, there is perfect peace. There’s no better place of rest than that!  
To God be the glory in Jesus name. Pastor Brandon