Rest

Mark 6:31

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

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.”


As I basked in the beautiful Minnesota weather that has settled between the heat of Summer and the Cool of early Autumn, my heart, my eyes and ears were attuned to the havoc Irene was causing on the East Coast. One of the quotes that stuck in my mind was this "Irene may not be a big one, but she is a mean one." And that proved to be true as stories of death and destruction came pouring in along with the wind and the rain.

Having grown up on the East Coast I have experienced the forces of the hurricane. For Minnesotans the only comparison can be an oncoming blizzard or cold snap. Like a hurricane, Minnesotans usually have sufficient warning and time to prepare for the pending onslaught from nature. And prepare we do. But at some point, preparing is done and all we can do is wait out whatever is coming our way. We stop. We rest. We wait.

In general, I do not like to stop, rest, or wait. It is bred in the American culture to always be moving, to be always taking action. If we are standing still, a popular motivational saying goes, then we are going backwards. We feel guilty, even in the midst of great pain and trial and obstacles if we do not continue to fight whatever battle has been sent our way.

But at some point, after preparing for the oncoming storm clouds of life, we must stop. We must rest. We must wait.

We must not overlook this important instruction that is vital to our survival. Go find a quiet place to rest, hunker down with Christ until the storm passes over.

Many times Scripture tells us to "wait". Other times, Scripture exhorts us to "stand firm". Sometimes that is all we can do, and we need not feel guilty about it.

I do not predispose knowing what any of you may be going through as I write this piece. But I do know that if you are slugging it out, putting your head into the wind and trying to move forward, or lashing out at the darkness of whatever it is that besets you, may be it would be better to rest. To wait. To stand firm.

Because once the storm is over we will need our strength to recover, to move forward and to help others who may have gone through the storm as well.


There is no shame in resting, waiting and standing firm. Christ said to "Go rest" so go rest. It's OK.

Whatever you do...

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.


Steve Jobs resigned yesterday. It was the headline on the front page of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and maybe it was for your newspaper as well (if any of you are still reading newspapers). Reports of sadness in the industry and accolades for an impact on all of society across the world have poured in. His infrequent appearances have been called "cult-like" and a simple announcement by Jobs about Apple and its next product would send the markets up or down depending on the tone of said announcement.

As I sit and write from my MacBook Pro, I realize the impact Jobs has had on the way I do things. Multiply that by millions and you get the idea. And though Jobs cannot take all the credit, he can take credit for being the visionary that has put all of this at our hands. It is not Jobs' skill at engineering or his leadership ability that will be missed the most but his ability to visualize, communicate that vision and then make that vision a reality. Steve Jobs gave his company something to shoot for and, more often than not, they hit the target.

This morning there are millions of people as well who are having an impact on this society. They will not receive headlines or accolades on a world wide level. They may not even receive a simple thank you. They are young and old. Men and women. Some possess great skill and others are more challenged. You will meet these people on the street, in the store, at your workplace. And you, yourself, may be one of these world changers that take the Scripture at the top of this page to heart.

We are followers of Christ who sincerely do all that we do as if we are doing it for Christ himself. The vision Paul puts before us is of a people that will do the best job possible, to the highest quality available, not for personal gain or accolades, but just for the fact that we are doing it for Christ. The goal is quality all across the board, at all levels of life.

Whatever we do, Paul says, do it for the Master. So I strive to be the best husband I can be to please Christ. If I can do that, my wife receives the greatest benefit. If I Pastor to please Christ then my congregation and community receive the greatest benefit. Our employers will receive great benefit if we work the assembly line, teach our students, fix the cars as if we are serving Christ.

A better society does not come out of serving ourselves but, as Paul says, doing all things as service to Christ. Our society may reward us for this or not. Paychecks or a thank you or recognition may be forthcoming, or not. And though the Bible promises us an inheritance for such actions, that is still not the motivating factor we should have in doing the best in all we do. We do all things, from the majestic to the mundane, to please Christ.

Try it and see how your family and friends will benefit, your employer will benefit, your community will benefit and how you will benefit. Visualize serving Christ in all things, communicate that vision to yourself and, then, make it happen. It will change the world.