Christian Daily Devotionals

by Marilyn Ehle

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.� Psalm 51:12

Over 60 years ago, a leading soft drink company coined the phrase “the pause that refreshes.�  Whenever those words were said or sung, people’s minds immediately turned to the product as an example of how to take time out, how to slow down and enjoy the moment.

In describing the religious life of one of his characters, author Charles O’Brien writes, “During the day, Mrs. G. takes short pauses, becomes very still, as if asking God for direction, or sharing a problem with Him.� Truly a pause that refreshed.

In our modern world—far busier than the world of more than a half century ago—we need such pauses. Time to stop the whirlwind of activity, to center our minds on the only one who truly gives new life. Time also to give us insight and wisdom for the choices that lie before us.

One dictionary defines refresh this way: to restore to a certain condition by providing a fresh supply of something. King David had grieved a loving God with the horrible sins of adultery and murder; he deliberately stepped outside the joy that God wants to gladly give his children. David not only admits his guilt but pleads with God to again fill him with the joy he once knew.

If David had only paused before any one of the actions that led to sin, if he had only asked God to resupply what he formerly experienced, or asked God for direction, how different his story might have been.

Father, it is so easy to keep active, to somehow believe that activity equals relationships with you. Forgive us for ignoring your call to refreshment.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/11/12/me_pause/

Tags: comfort, depend, God's love, grace, hope, Jesus, love, pure

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 1:02 am and is filed under Thoughts by All, Women's Thoughts, thoughts by Marilyn Ehle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.