IT’S TIME TO REST! “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.” ( Exodus 20:9-10, NIV) Jesus took seriously the importance of getting away from pressure. Doing so, He was faithful to His own guidelines given to the nation of Israel centuries earlier, commanding a once- weekly Sabbath rest. An incident recounted in Matthew 14:13-20 reveals that Jesus sometimes found it hard to get away from pressure. Crowds of people all over Israel knew Him as the “Teacher,” and flocked to hear Him as well as to receive the benefits of His healing ministry. When news got out that He was in a place, people gathered. Matthew explains that Jesus received sad news about his cousin John, and wanted to get away to a remote place to be alone for a while. But news got out, so that a huge crowd gathered. Having compassion on them, He helped them. Similarities to work are clear. Tasks keep coming. Requests are made, and expectations along with them. Unexpected duties come along. Plus, we have more to consider than work – there are the domestic and family and other involvements, too. Jesus wanted to get away from the crowds that day, but they pressed in on Him. He accepted the situation gracefully, and served them. This does not say that we should give in to overloading, but it is a reminder to try to handle overload or inconvenience gracefully with God’s help. It is also a reminder that time out is not a luxury. Time out is essential. God Himself commanded a weekly rest day. Make no mistake: He obeys His own principles. The story doesn’t say when He got the rest He wanted, but we may be sure that He made the time somehow. For your health, the health of your family and friends, and the health of your relationship with God, make sure that your pressure cooker of work has a safety valve for you to blow off steam and rest. Enjoy your day, “Working for Christ”!
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 06:57:25 +0000
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