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Do Nothing (continues) Elder Philip N. Conley

Scripture reveals several points that we might think of as doing nothing. Sometimes
it talks of rest, other times of being still, and yet others at waiting. In nature, stillness
might indicate nothing's happening. In life, rest and waiting could yield periods of

zero activity. However, looking at the rich foundation that we have through His amaz-
ing grace, each of these seemingly do nothing "actions" actually tends to great and
directed behavior.

Rest in Scripture bespeaks less of sleep but rather in stopping an activity because of
its completion or fulfillment. God rested the 7th day from His labours not because He
needed sleep or was weary but because the work of creation was complete. We are
told that He will rest in His love. (Zephaniah 3:17) As a Being who rests Himself, He

also affords us opportunities to rest as well. Questions. When God rested from cre-
ation, did He do nothing? When He rests in His love, does He do nothing? The cre-
ation remains because He still upholds it by the word of His power. With His love
abiding, He rests in the perfection of it that is still ongoing. Simply put, God's rest is

not a license of no activity but a rich example of how rest is put in proper practice.
You and I need rest in ways that do not affect the Almighty. The rest we can take helps
clear the mind, uplift the soul, and revive the spirit. When Satan and the world un-
ceasingly assault our minds and hearts, we need to rest in the same things that God

has and does. Does God love us? Will He always love us? Yes and yes. (Jeremiah
31:3) When all around goes off kilter, the anchoring point centers around an unchang-
ing attribute of God that abides continually. As the poet said, "When change and
decay in all around I see, O Thou who changest not, abide with me." We can rest like

this when we stand as we should and walk as we should. (Jeremiah 6:16) This rest is
found rather than just given, and we have been afforded multitudes of opportunity to
rest in God's abiding steadfastness to us that we can actually find more and more.

Living in this hurry-scurry world, waiting is something that none of us enjoy doing.
We hate long lines, and evidences of patience in this world seem to wan in so many
ways. Through the years, I get tickled when I watch my children look out the win-
dows waiting for company when they are expected. It reminds me of us as children.

After what seems like forever for them, they plead, "When will they be here? It's
taking forever!" Silly me used to encourage them to read a book or something to take
their mind off it! Distractions abounded, and it backfired on me. So, I tried a different
tact. I started asking them questions about what they thought we would do when the

company arrived. With eyes that lit and words that soared, they described in detail
what they hoped to do with company. In this way, their wait was filled with thoughts
of coming happiness and "speeding" it along till it happened. continued