The Elusive Fruit

There is nothing quite like sinking your teeth into  mealy fruit.  There's a lot of things better, but nothing quite like it. 

Having married a man who spent considerable time growing up in "apple country", I've been well versed on finding the perfect apple.  It must be slightly green by the stem, smooth to the touch, no pits in the skin and can only be found in the early to mid-fall.  The rest of the year, fruit is no longer fresh from the field but brought out periodically from cold storage.  Definitely not the same as fresh. 

You can tell when someone has found the perfect apple.  You hear the juicy crunch, and see the slow smile begin to creep across their face.  Pure pleasure and a brief break from the world. 


Finding time to truly rest can be just as daunting as seeking out that perfect apple.  There is a season for all things, including working and resting from that work.  I believe our amazing Creator has designed us to live from rest to rest.  

Our day, one revolution around our own axis, begins and ends with rest.  Our months go from a new moon rising and falling; and our year, a trip around the sun, begins on New Year's Day with a day of rest and ends on New Year's eve, with an evening of fun and, hopefully, reflection.  Rest to rest.

Only our week has nothing to revolve around.  It is strictly a God-created cycle especially made for us to know how to rest.  In His wisdom, He knew that we have the potential to run from thing to thing, never stopping for a break.  And so, He modeled it for us. 

But how do we rest when there's so much to be accomplished?  And for Him, no less??  And, when we do find the time, what are we supposed to do to be rested?  Does it mean sleeping in?  Playing with the kids?  Going golfing with the fellas?  What does it mean to truly rest? 

I believe finding the rest and refreshment we seek, is like digging in that apple bin.  We tune out the world for that moment; we are focused on something outside our usual activity and, in that quiet moment, the Lord can speak.  He can show us the perfect fruit.  It is then that He gives us rest, true rest, as a loving gift.  It is not something we find on our own, but as we take time away from our usual activities, time to pause and reflect, in that quiet space when our focus is on Him, He reveals it.

Crunch.  Ahhh....