Are you ready for vacation yet?
School is almost out, so our thoughts are turned toward getting away. Getting outta town. Getting some rest. But often our vacations turn into marathons of endurance. My vacations turn into a list of must see and must do. I come home to rest. I vacation to go, go go! I wanna see things. Go places. Eat good food.
We often associate rest with a place. We think of a SPA day at a swanky resort. We relax strolling along the water’s edge, or hiking up a mountain trail with beautiful vistas along the way.
Rest and refreshing are both desperately needed in our go-faster, achievement driven life styles. In my search to discover God’s provision of rest, including rest from stress. We can find rest in simple things like sipping coffee with a dear friend. Or relaxing in a hammock under a tree with a good book.
We find it along the water’s edge, as we hike up a mountain trail with beautiful vistas along the way. We find rest over a cup of coffee with a loved one or close friend. Laying in a hammock reading a book.
But Scripture suggests we experience rest and refreshing in an unusual place. Isaiah 28:12 “To whom He said, This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing;” Sounds like just the place I’m looking for–an oasis in a storm of busyness. Where do I find it? Let’s look at the context of the verse.
Isaiah 28: 11-12 (NKJV) “For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing;”
I did my research. I found numerous explanations, many of which were opposing viewpoints, each defending theirs with good arguments. Still, the opinion of Apostle Paul in 1Corinthians 14 was the most impacting. He refers to Isaiah 28:11, 12 in 1 Corinthians 14:21 “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.”
Paul is in the middle of a teaching on the operation of gifts and speaking in tongues in a church service when he refers to the Old Testament reference of “stammering lips and another tongue.” If this were not speaking in tongues then he would not have mentioned it at this juncture.
From my personal experience there are three reasons I believe praying in tongues helps a believer enter God’s rest.
1. As I pray in the Spirit, God speaks to my Spirit with direction, insight and activates my faith, whichever might be needed at that particular moment in my walk with Him.
2. When my faith is activated by His Spirit I can rest because I know it is in His hands. Moving into that trust lane is like moving into the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane on the Interstate. It is a place of progression without the sudden stops of unbelief.
3. It is an emotional release. As a woman, I can tell you first hand that sometimes I get so frustrated I could scream. Praying in tongues is an emotional release. I can be totally stressed about something when I enter my prayer time, then after a session of praying in tongues I feel peaceful.
I’m convinced praying in tongues is a place to refresh yourself. Maybe you are familiar with what I’m talking about. Here’s a link to help you know more praying in tongues .