Paul was in prison. Alone. It wasn't his first time but was bound to be his last time. He had fought his fight and run his race. In his final correspondence with his beloved protege, Timothy, he requests his presence. In the meantime, the Lord stood by him and strengthened him. Even in our loneliest moments, the Lord stands by us. He gives us insight. He empowers us.

We all have things about ourselves we hide. Ghosts from our pasts. Wound we want no one to know. Failures we fear define us and will leave us destitute if they come to light. A word that captures these feelings is shame. It's real, painful, and crippling. The bad news is we have a spiritual accuser (Satan), who bullies us with shame. The good news is that God can remove our shame. His grace and forgiveness is a beautiful replacement. Zechariah saw this acted out in a vision with the high priest Joshua.

Moses met God. He was going about his shepherding duties, when he encountered God in the far side of the desert. He drew close to a burning bush and God spoke. He shared with Moses his plan to rescue Israel and assured him he was the man for the job. Sadly, Moses deflected and deferred. Facing God forced him to face his false self. The same thing happens with us: divine encounters expose our self-deception.

Work can be grueling, laborious, and vain. We feed the machine. We follow routine. Day after day, we complete our tasks, only to do them again the next day. Work, though, is not worthless. God gives it to us for sustenance and significance. We work for him. Day after day, we undertake our tasks with the hope of the resurrection undergirding us.

Our days can feel long; our struggles, crushing. The speed of change, noise of media, pull of technology, and political angst wears us out. We need rest, and Jesus extends it to us. However, we must not confuse Christ's invitation with a nap, good night of sleep, or two week vacation. Jesus offers more than a break; he calls us to walk with him, rely on him, and learn from him. His rest truly rejuvenates.