Re-learning Rest

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. Hebrews 4:9-11

Here we go back again… apparently I need to re-learn rest. I hit the ground running after my insane trip to the US and got pretty badly burned out - this weekend I didn’t go to church after working 12+ hour days the rest of the week.

Running multiple projects with all of the facets they have like we are doing is very taxing. Unfortunately there are a couple projects that are due this week and the school is starting next week. That means I am stretched to my limit, and probably a bit beyond.

This reminds me of my time at the university. When God told me to start Equip Mozambique, I was already very busy. I had a bunch of commitments and suddenly my life got much crazier. However, I found that under enough pressure, my life would suddenly align to all of the things I should have been doing anyway - it’s like a diamond; when a lump of coal is under enough pressure, it’s forced to disintegrate or realign to a stronger formation.  I started waking up earlier, spending more time with God and rigidly scheduling my week, things I normally don’t do if I am left to my own devices. Today I woke up at 4:30 after going to bed at 8. My kids get up at 5:30 so it’s pretty important to get some God time in before the house goes crazy. Fortunately, I got enough sleep. 

There are plenty of things we need to do that God doesn’t. How much more do we need to do the things that God does? There is something special and restorative about rest. The godly perspective of it is a completion of the cycle of work - a time to enjoy the accomplishment of the work, to stop and recuperate, mentally, physically, spiritually. The world’s perspective of rest is a necessary evil, and the less rest you need, the more dedicated you are. Sadly, that attitude seems to permeate the church as well, and it’s even worse if you are a Christian worker. We expect pastors to be all things to all people and often expect an unreasonable amount from our missionaries.