THERE IS STILL TIME!!!
Not to be a party pooper but… sadly.. it is ALREADY August!?!? Didn’t June & July seem to fly by in a blink??? Depending on whether you are a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty type of person it might feel like summer is almost over. And while I myself won’t go that far, I will suggest that if you haven’t taken at least some time for rest and re-creation you may want to get at it.
You do realize – I hope – that in the midst of all the stuff the Bible teaches us about the virtues of hard-work and responsibility, it is also pretty loud about how important and necessary a time of rest is! To remind you – the last thing God creates (it might be argued) is REST (the 7th Day); or likewise, one the first commandments IS about keeping the Sabbath Day holy (as a time of rest and re-creation); and finally, (especially lately) even the Gospels are intentional in telling us that Jesus Himself regularly took “time away” and “in a quiet place” to rejuvenate and make Himself ready for what the next day would bring.
We are often very quick to hold up the teachings of the Bible against each other as a measure of our worthiness. (Which, by the way, is NOT the point!). We are not however nearly as likely to hold each other or ourselves AS responsible to be as diligent about taking time for refreshment and renewal. And interesting value judgement if you think about it.
The thing is however, study after study after study would seem to affirm that God has it right.. affirming that a time of rest is not only healthy and can radically affect our health, but just so is also critical in keeping us effective and useful at work. It is essential for the kind of creativity and tenacity that so much of our work & life these days requires.
So in the few weeks of summer we have left “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”. Take some time.. go for a walk.. spend an evening just hanging out with the people you love.. reacquaint yourself with how cool a person you are when you are not ALWAYS stressed out by work. It is a command of God … and just like all the other commandments is first and foremost a sign of how deeply God loves us and cares about us.
Pax…
Pastor Stewart – Aug 2018
