By Josephine Lim-Weston
31 July 2017
Life can get so busy anytime of the day and all day. One afternoon I asked the Lord what I need to do right now to have an effective impact or influence with my words and actions. I received a prompting in my heart, "You (first) need to listen to be listened to. (You need to receive from me and rest in me)."
That night after Jean-Luc had gone to sleep, in that quiet moment which I called the Abba Daddy God moment I felt so restful and refreshed, as if heaven had come into my heart. All my burdens, worries and cares in organising family events all being rolled away. That moment of rest had become so pure and sacred that I absolutely cherish it and want more.
It's true we need to listen first to be listened to. We first need to receive from God, listen to Him then we can be an effective channel of blessing to others. So now if ever I catch myself in a rat race moment whereby my mind gets busy I decide at that moment to just pause and let Heaven come into my heart to refresh me all over again. Even though we might not know what to say or pray anymore but just a few words of "Abba Daddy, come" is good enough to feel God's presence and His refreshing grace all over again.
Just sparing a moment of quietness will not rob us of precious time, instead it will do us tremendous good. “God is the creator of time, hence giver of time. He himself is not constrained by time. He lives outside time” - Ps. Joseph Prince. He doesn't take away time but give us time and much more when we acknowledge Him and spend this precious Abba Daddy God moment with Him. “What God wants is a family relationship with us” - Ps. Joseph Prince. And that's the reason why we are created in the first place - to have fellowship and relationship with God.
Recently my husband sent me a video regarding sudden immersion in cold water (https://www.facebook.com/rnli/videos/10155022400786141/). Sudden immersion in cold water puts people at risk of suffering cold water shock, triggering the instinctive reaction to gasp uncontrollably and swim hard, which can lead to drowning.
Mike Tipton, Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth, explains:
We often rely on our instincts but our instinctive response to sudden immersion in cold water – gasping, thrashing and swimming hard – is potentially a killer.
It increases chances of water entering your lungs, increases the strain on your heart, cools the skin further and helps air escape from any clothing, which then reduces buoyancy.
Although it’s counter-intuitive, the best immediate course of action in that situation is to fight your instinct and try to float or rest, just for a short time.
The effects of cold water shock will pass quite quickly, within 60–90 seconds. Floating for this short time will let you regain control of your breathing and your survival chances will greatly increase.
– MIKE TIPTON, UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH
As I ponder on the sudden immersion in cold weather life-saving tip, it straightaway triggered in me how appropriate this lesson is to link with Abba Daddy God life-saving moment when we're absorbed in busy madness. When we're so hard pressed into the rat race of life and becoming unbearable then it's good to just withdraw ourselves and be reminded "It's time for Abba Daddy God Moment". Take it even if it's just a few seconds or minutes break and cry out to God. Letting our hearts and spirits be at rest to help us "float" successfully and be alive again.
Today I have also learnt from my son Jean-Luc. He is one active and curious boy. He is also discerning for his age. I realised whenever I'm busy and trying to get on with things the more active he becomes and not wanting to sleep. I eventually gave up and said, "Lord, I'm going to have my Abba Daddy God moment now with you." I began to hum my way in quiet worship and just allowing my heart and spirit be at rest. Straightaway Jean-Luc gone to sleep in my arms that I found time to continue writing this blog article. So each time when I'm stressed, restless or busy Jean-Luc can sense it and will not want to sleep, but when I'm rested in my spirit and body he too follows.
Come to me, all you labouring and burdened ones, and I (Jesus) will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)
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