Called Aside

Have you been “Called Aside”? Maybe you are in the throes of morning sickness and can’t do all the things you deem important.

Could it be the Lord has allowed some sickness that keeps you from the important things of life? You see the world around you going on, seemingly without you? You feel like you are failing at the very things He has called you to?

Perhaps a season of forced rest, frustrated plans, financial crisis, struggles that keep you from being as fruitful as you would like?

I read a devotion today by John Ruskin that reminded me that,

“There is no music during a musical rest, but the rest is part of the making of the music. In the melody of our life, the music is separated here and there by rests. During those rests, we foolishly believe we have come to the end of the song . . . God does not write the music of our lives without a plan. Our part is to learn the tune and not be discouraged during the rests . . . If only we will look up, God Himself will count the time for us. With our eyes on Him, our next note will be full and clear . . . The process is often slow and painful in this life, yet how patiently God works to teach us! And how long He waits for us to learn the lesson!”

Called aside –
From the glad working of your busy life,
From the world’s ceaseless stir of care and strife,
Into the shade and stillness by your Heavenly Guide
For a brief time you have been called aside.

Called aside –
Perhaps into a desert garden dim;
And yet not alone, when you have been with Him,
And heard His voice in sweetest accents say:
“Child, will you not with Me this still hour stay?”

Called aside –
In hidden paths with Christ your Lord to tread,
Deeper to drink at the sweet Fountainhead,
Closer in fellowship with Him to roam,
Nearer, perhaps, to feel your Heavenly Home.

Called aside –
Oh, knowledge deeper grows with Him alone;
In secret oft His deeper love is shown,
And learned in many an hour of dark distress
Some rare, sweet lesson of His tenderness.

Called aside –
We thank You for the stillness and the shade;
We thank You for the hidden paths Your love has made,
And, so that we have wept and watched with Thee, We thank You for our dark Gethsemane.

Called aside –
O restful thought – He doeth all things well;
O blessed sense, with Christ alone to dwell;
So in the shadow of Your cross to hide,
We thank You, Lord, to have been called aside.

John Ruskin

This brought such comfort to me as the enemy would have me believe that the 'rests' are a waste of time. That while resting in His sovereign will, I am somehow being unfrutiful or not doing what is important.

I hope you too will find comfort in resting right where He has you. The children and I sang Blessed Assurance today, and this line really spoke to me.


Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

I want this to be my story . . .

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.