To Do: "Rest"

 
“There is a place of quiet and rest,…there is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God.”This is the first line to a hymn titled, “Near to the heart of God.”
When ‘Rest’ is on the ‘To Do List’, this is where we needs meet: ‘Near to the heart of God’.
When asked the question, “How are you?” The only reply near to the tongue is,
“I’m tired.”
Today, I read the words aloud of an unfamiliar (to me, that is), hymn:
“O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.”
“Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God!” (emphasis and exclamation, mine.)
‘Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.’ So, I think of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles. Do you remember him? Well, I remind myself today of his famous prayer from 2 Chronicles 20:12: “O our God, will You not judge them?” (Them? The enemy that came out to battle. We won’t battle with the people of Moab, but we will battle the enemy of fear every day. And the enemy of doubt, which makes no delay, and the enemy of ‘control’ which depletes breath and life and unity- and the enemy of addiction to things that destroy…etc., etc., etc!) “For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
King Jehoshaphat had gathered all of Judah, with the little ones, their wives, and their children, and they stood before the LORD to pray this prayer together.
And they received an answer because the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of … who was the son of …, (a reminder that God knows our names!) and the response was recorded,(after you get through all of the names) many, many years ago, for you and for me – today. It’s in 2 Chronicles 20:14-17.
“Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves,
stand still and see the salvation of the LORD,
who is with you. O Judah and Jerusalem!” (and repeated a second time, he continues,) “Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.”
Jehoshaphat then bowed his head to the ground and worshiped the LORD.
“Position yourselves,…”
And Jehoshaphat showed us how: King Jehoshaphat ‘bowed his head to the ground and worshiped the LORD’.
“Near to the Heart Of God”
“There is a place of quiet rest, Near to the heart of God; A place where sin cannot molest, Near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.”
“There is a place of comfort sweet, Near to the heart of God; A place where we our Savior meet, Near to the heart of God.
“There is a place of full release, Near to the heart of God;
A place where all is joy and peace, Near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God,
“Hold us, who wait before Thee, and speak dear Jesus, as we rest we listen, and even more than that, we choose to hear: “I AM the True Vine and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit – that stops bearing – He cuts away (Trims off, takes away). And He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.
You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the Word which I have given you – the teachings I have discussed with you. Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you. – Live in Me and I will live in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. 
I am the Vine, you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me – cut off from the vital union with Me – you can do nothing.
If you live in Me -abide vitally united to Me – and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you…”(John 15: 1-7, Amplified).
“O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.” 
Hold us and speak to our tired hearts and show us the way to overcome the and bear fruit TODAY, as we rest, we bow our heads in position of worship, speaking hymns and Your word and receiving Your love! Revive us O Lord, in these last days, give us rest and hearts that Praise. In Jesus Name, and we all say…