31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:31-32 (NIV)
A few weeks ago during our church’s staff meeting I asked those gathered if there were any of the Ten Commandments that they had difficulty keeping. I shared the commandment I broke repeatedly is the one I believe many Americans fail to keep with regularity-Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy.
In our society we equate busyness with success. The more busy we are, the more productive we believe we are being. In fact, it becomes the standard greeting everywhere: “I am so busy”.
Author Wayne Muller in his book Sabbath writes, “We say this to one another with no small degree of pride, as if our exhaustion were a trophy and our ability to withstand stress a mark of real character. The busier we are, the more important we seem to ourselves and, we imagine, to others. To be “busy” has become the model of a successful life.”
A causal reading of the Gospels clearly depicts how many people were constantly trying to get to Jesus. Several passages paint the picture of He and the disciples were so busy they didn’t even have time to eat (perhaps for days). Needless to say, Jesus was BUSY!
Think about how busy Jesus was, how many people were seeking an audience with Him, and yet the resilience He maintained to be alone with God.
If Jesus as the Son of God needed such times, how much more do we?
During these days leading up to Easter I hope you are taking some time to rest and to spend some time away from the busyness of life and more time being quiet with God.
Your pastor and partner in ministry,
Kyle
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