Except for our Sunday celebrations and a few home groups, July brings a “slow down” of activity at The Covenant Center. This month is a time for family and friends to gather, vacations and special destinations to explore and is simply a great time to labor into His rest. I think the reason God used the word “labor” in this phrase is because sometimes it takes some labor and planning to rest in intimacy with HIm.
John 17:3 says: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” One of our most important goals is to know (yada - Hebrew) Him. What a great opportunity to change some of our busy daily habits by increasing our intimacy with Him in prayer, studying the Torah and practicing His presence. However, it does not mean we may not have to “labor” at getting rid of some of the distractions of life in order to accomplish this.
I suggest actually scheduling in some time with Him during the day and/or evening. It can be a time of prayer, including a journal or pad of paper to take notes. In addition to prayer, begin reading Genesis, Proverbs, Psalms, the Gospels, Romans, or any book that you enjoy. The most important part is to include and increase communication with the Lord during this study. It is amazing the revelation the Lord desires to impart with creative ideas to help solve many of life’s challenges.
I encourage you to use this month of July to labor into His rest by increasing your prayer and Torah study with Him, allowing these good habits to continue for the rest of the year. Enjoy this time of family, friends and especially Jesus!
In His Covenant Love,
