Need A Rest? Need Some Down Time?

At my desk is a picture-postcard brought back by our social worker when he and his wife went to New Orleans.  The picture features a horse-drawn carriage in front of the Chateau Le Moyne, a beautiful one hundred and sixty plus year hotel in the French Quarter.  While they were there at Brennen's, they shared a $200 breakfast, walked the historic streets of New Orleans and listened to dueling piano music at Pat O'Brien's.  There is much to be said for rest and relaxation.  Within a short distance from this scene still rests devastation from Hurricane Katrina.  This storm and the floods which followed made this storm not only the most expensive natural disaster, but also one of the deadliest.  With over 1,800 dead and billions of dollars to rebuilt, it is no wonder why parts of New Orleans are still uninhabited. 

The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Proverbs 19:22

In American we fail to understand the reverential fear of coming face to face with a king or sovereign of a country.  We see some of the pageantry of royal weddings or state funerals for presidents and can only begin to imagine the reverential fear due God.  The awesomeness of God is also seen as a fear to those who do not pay him the respect and loyalty due the God of Creation.  I can rest in contentment with the "fear of the Lord" if I understand his care and concern for me.  Jesus tells us in Luke 12:7 God has the number of hairs counted.  If he is so precisely interested in me and knows the smallest detail of my life, why should I be fearful when life's events come my way.  I am content to accept the circumstances or the pattern for what is happening. 

In hospice one of my duties for those who have a religious background is to remind them of their faith-tradition in accepting their body's decline and eventual death.  If we accept God's sovereignty to save us, should we not accept his plan to lead us?  We are willing to seek him out to escape the final judgement and may not be willing to accept his judicious decisions for the days leading up to the end.  Today, I accept what God has for me and hopefully it will be pleasant.  If I find later something happened which I may not like, I hope I can remember the "fear of the Lord" leads to life--wherever that may be.