Rest. That’s been my word for 2022. And I’ve spent most of this year thinking about it in terms of the action, “to rest”. I’ve had so many special discoveries this year about resting in the Lord and loved every one of them!

Recently, a friend sent me a little note that read, “did you know that ‘rest’ defined as a noun means ‘remainder’…something that remains over”. Well, I honestly hadn’t thought about it that way! I mean what’s leftover from a meal or a project … typically isn’t all that much. Sometimes we might even think, as we’re cleaning up, just throw the rest of it away. It isn’t even enough to really do something or make a difference. So I did some digging and here is what I discovered: The rest is the balance…the residual…the remnant…the final undivided part. Oh wow!

Think about the remnant of believers who remained in Jerusalem. A small group of Jesus followers who refused to be divided, waiting for the Holy Spirit to arrive as Jesus had instructed them to do. Of the thousands and thousands who had been touched by the Messiah, fed by the Messiah, many even healed by the Messiah, Acts 1:15 tells us there were about 120 believers gathered in one place. Despite having watched their beloved Jesus crucified and buried, missing the One who had gathered, discipled and led them the past few years…this remnant hoped…and waited. And when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were changed in an instant. Empowered to preach the Gospel and live lives that showed others what it looked like to radically follow Christ.

And as they went, they changed the whole world! That little group. The rest of Jesus’ believers. The remnant. The final undivided group remained obedient, received the promise and re-Presented the Gospel over and over…and tens of thousands were saved! Today, countless people have become Christians because a small group of people waited and rested in Jesus’ instruction to wait for the gift.

Don’t discount the rest of your time, the rest of your energy, the rest of your ministry and especially the rest of your life. However you have lived your life til now, realize that the balance of your days can be so much greater than your past. Determine to live the rest of them, undivided, for Christ!