Take a rest
"And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone." Matthew 14:23
Wow, ever have one of those days or weeks when it seems there is more to do than there is time to do it? Last week was one of those for me. Between family and chores, work, church (VBS week), squeezing in runs and planning a race, I was going on very little sleep and a whole lot of joy. Serving God is such a blessing. But it can easily turn into a burden if we become overwhelmed with the service and lose sight of the Reason. We can sometimes be so caught up in doing God's work that we sacrifice the peace of His presence. Being busy is a good thing but spending time with Him is a necessary thing if we are to be like Christ in our service to others. As I was talking to a good friend about all the things I was doing, needed to do and wanted to accomplish, I made the remark that "there is still so much to do and there would be time for rest on the other side of the dirt." He reminded me that even Jesus went up to the mountain to pray. Thank you my friend for those much needed words. What an eye opener for me!
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35. Yesterday morning, I was startled to see that I had slept in until 7:00 am. I knew I had to hurry if I was going to get in a run, make breakfast for everyone, shower and be ready to leave in time for church. I felt a brief moment of panic and then felt an overwhelming calm. Okay, I thought, I may not have a mountain to retreat to but I do have this uninterrupted moment and I choose to stay here and pray. As I pulled up the covers and smiled, I thanked God for choosing me to be a small part of bringing others to Christ, for loving me and reminding me of what's truly important...His presence. And there I stayed. And prayed. And felt the peace and comfort of Christ. I made it to church with not a moment to spare, a smile on my face and a refreshed heart, attitude and spirit.
Are you overwhelmed, tired and in need of rest? Take some time to follow the example of Jesus. Retreat to a private place (a closet, your car, on a run) and spend some time in prayer. "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." Luke 5:16. By doing so, you will be ready to joyfully do all that He calls you to.
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the strength to do the things You have designed us for and called us to do. It is a privilege and honor to serve You. May we not lose sight of the reason we labor and keep our eyes focused on You. I pray that we remember that we need physical and spiritual rest if we are to continue serving to the best of our abilities. Help us to know when those times are. In Your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.
Happy Running!!!
I will rest in You-King of Heaven, in Your presence, I will rest in You.
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