MGD: Rest for Our Souls - 3

Shalom beloved, you are warmly welcome to today's morning glory devotion.

We are Pastor and Deaconess Kielson from the Harvard Chapel International,

Denyame Komase. We do make a great privilege to come

your way once again with the third episode of our

devotional series. titled, Rest for Our Souls. Let us kindly

share a word of prayer. Dear Father, we thank you

for the gift of life and another opportunity to sit

right here at your feet as we open the scriptures today.

Speak directly to our hearts and help us to keep

our minds stayed on you. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

Let us kindly take our confession for today from Joshua

Joshua 1:8

chapter 1 verse 8. Joshua chapter 1 verse 8 This

Joshua 1:8

book of the law shall not depart from my mouth,

but I shall meditate in it day and night, that

I may observe to do according to all that is

written in it. For then I will make my way prosperous,

and then I will have good success. Amen Our theme

for today's message is Rest for Our Souls, Part 3,

The Disappointment. Rest for Our Souls, Part 3, The Disappointment.

Our scripture readings shall be taken from Joshua chapter 21,

Joshua 21:43–45

verse 43 to 45, and Judges chapter 2, verse 10

Judges 2:10–13

to 13. Joshua chapter 21 verse 43 to 45 and

Joshua 21:43–45

Judges chapter 2 verse 10 to 13. I will be

Judges 2:10–13

reading from the New International Version. Joshua chapter 21 verse

Joshua 21:43–45

43 to 45 So the Lord gave Israel all the

land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they

took possession of it, and settled there. The Lord gave

them rest on every side, just as he had sworn

to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them.

The Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. Not

one of all the Lord's good promises to Israel failed.

Every one was fulfilled. Amen. Judges chapter 2 verse 10

Judges 2:10–13

to 13. After that whole generation had been gathered to

their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the

Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the

Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and

served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of

their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They

followed and worshipped various gods of the peoples around them.

They aroused the Lord's anger because they forsook him and

served Baal and the Ashtoreths. The Lord add his blessings

to the reading and hearing of his word. Thanks be

to God.

Amen. Rest for our souls, part 3. The Disappointment Rest

for our souls, part 3. The Disappointment Have you ever

experienced the quiet ache of arriving at a goal you

spent years pursuing, only to discover that it did not

yield the peace you expected? For months, perhaps even years,

your entire life was organized around reaching a particular finish line.

You told yourself, if I can just get the job,

if I can just sign the contract, if I can

just get married, If I can just move to a

better place, everything will finally be settled. Then the day arrived.

The prayer was answered. The breakthrough happened. The celebrations took place.

And the congratulations poured in. Yet a few days later,

when the noise quieted down, a strange and unsettling realization

set in. The inner tension you felt before was still there.

The milestone changed your status, but your soul still felt burdened.

The achievement made no lasting impact on the condition of

your heart. That quiet realization is what we call the

disappointment of arrival. In our scripture reading today, Israel experienced

this on a national scale. After 400 years of back-breaking

slavery in Egypt, and 40 more surviving the barren wilderness.

They crossed the Jordan River. The fortified walls of Jericho

fell before them. Their enemies fled before their eyes, and

many battles were won. Our opening text records an extraordinary

testimony concerning them. The Lord gave them rest on every side,

just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one

of their enemies withstood them. The Lord gave all their

enemies into their hands. God's gift was perfect. The land

was glorious. But as you turn the page into the

book of Judges, just as we read, a tragic reality unfolds.

Throughout the life of Joshua and the elders who outlived him,

Israel enjoyed that physical rest. But that rest was only temporary.

The book of Judges reveals that as soon as that

generation passed away, the people turned their hearts away from God,

and the restlessness rushed right back in. Possessing the land

did not heal their restless hearts. Having their own territory

did not stop them from falling into fear, compromise, and

moral decline. Holding the title deeds to Canaan, did not

prevent them from looking anxiously over their bodies and begging

for an earthly kin so they could feel secure. They

had the land, but they did not have soul rest.

They had the address, but their hearts were still unsettled. Beloved,

the disappointment in the book of Judges was not that

the promised land failed them. The disappointment is the stark

realization that that no earthly blessing, no matter how holy

or long-awaited, can substitute for the rest that God alone

can give. This is a lesson everyone of us must confront.

An answered prayer can change your circumstances, but it can

never be your ultimate answer to rest for your soul.

If you expect that that promotion, that marriage, or that

financial breakthrough would give you the ultimate peace that only

God can provide. That blessing will leave you disappointed. Earthly

blessings are wonderful gifts, but they cannot sustain the soul.

They can provide comfort for our bodies today, but they

can never give lasting rest to our souls. So beloved,

reposition your stance, reset your gaze, and re-examine the expectations

of your heart. Do not let your answered prayers take

the place of God. Do not shift your focus from

God to the blessings He gives. For only God can

give us rest for our souls.

Amen.

Tomorrow morning, by God's grace, we will reach the turning

point of our journey where we get to hear Jesus

Christ extend the only invitation capable of giving true, lasting rest.

to a weary and disappointed heart. God richly bless you.

Let us kindly share our memory verse for today. Our

memory verse is taken from Judges 2.10. Judges 2.10. I

will be reading from the New International Version. After that

whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation

grew up who knew neither the Lord, nor what he

had done for Israel. After that whole generation had been

gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew

neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Amen.

Let us kindly share a word of prayer. Our Heavenly Father,

thank you for every blessing you have placed in our lives.

Forgive us for the times we have looked to our

answered prayers, our achievements, and our earthly milestones to give

us the rest that only you can provide. Keep our

hearts from pride and selfishness. and shift our focus from

the gift to the giver. In Jesus' mighty name.

Amen. Thank you for joining us for part three of

Rest For Ourselves. As we have learned today, you can

arrive at your long-awaited destination and still discover that the

soul remains restless. Join us again tomorrow morning by God's

grace at the same time for part four, titled, Come

to Me, as we hear Jesus Christ's life-changing invitation to

every burdened heart. Until then, stay connected to Radio HCI

today For more spirit-filled content. And please be reminded of

our upcoming If I Perish, I Perish 3 Days Continuous Fast. Themed,

Rest for Our Souls. Which comes off on the 4th

to 6th of September at Harvest Chapel International, Denyame Kumasi.

It promises to be a time of restoration. See you there.

Please have a blessed day.

Shalom.