An Invitation to Rest

One of the wisest spiritual mentors I have ever known, Pastor Aaron Jackson, Jr., said to me, " Son you must learn the discipline of slowing down". He further went to state, "Since we are to imitate God, Jesus was busy but he was never hurried because He always knew how to rest".

The idea of Jesus resting I must admit is almost foreign to me because I always associate Jesus with action, but rest is action too. Jesus learned how to rest, whether it was for Prayer, or Preparation or Personal Edification, Jesus knew how to rest. It was for Prayer that Jesus got away in Matthew 14:22-23. It was for preparation that Jesus went to the Wilderness in Matthew 4 and it was Personal Edification that Jesus went to Bethany in John 12.

John Ortberg in the chapter "An Unhurried Life" from the book The Life you always Wanted; Spiritual Disciplines for ordinary people" says we suffer from a disease known as "Hurry Sickness" It was defined as a continuous struggle and unremitting attempt to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time". Carl Jung picks up on this theme when he states, "Hurry is not OF the devil; Hurry IS the devil.

Jesus was quite aware of this problem so he repeatedly withdrew from crowds and activities and after giving his followers the power to do ministry, he taught them the principle of how to rest for the ministry that needed to be done.

Two men with axes in their hands look at two trees standing before them, One man is young, strong, powerful biceps, large trapezius muscles, well built and solid, while the other man is older, slumped in profile, more flabby then firm, more soft than solid, Wimpy than Hercules. The young man says to the old man, Old Timer I bet I can chop this tree down faster than you chop yours down. The old man says, Ok let's see.

The young man swings with massive strokes, powerful precision and wonderful wizardly. He swings till the sweat glistens from his bulging muscles and drips from his brow until finally the tree falls. 8 minutes and 20 seconds says the young man. The old man swings twice on one side and twice on the other side and one time in the middle and the tree falls down, 1 minute and 42 seconds says the old man.

How did you do it the young man screams, I am younger, stronger, and in better shape. You are old, broken down and beat up. The old man says, Yes it's true but my axe is sharper than your ax because I have learned not to swing at every tree that gets in my way".

I believe we are swinging with dull axes. It takes us longer to hear God's voice, longer to prepare, longer to hear our Word, longer to facilitate that Word because we are swinging with dull axes. We get upset over the smallest things, if someone speaks we judge how they speak, "What did they mean when they said Hello?" Dull axes! We judge when someone doesn't speak, "Who do they think they are?" Dull axes! Church members who are so fried and frayed at the edges because we run everywhere that they leave room for the devil to enter in because they are tired from lack of rest and Pastors who think it is super spiritual to burn the candle at both ends until we burn out because after all we are more than conquerors.

Jesus knew we would be like this, because his disciples were like this so he says one verse that I have always over looked in my attempt to get the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus says, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while."

As usual I have written too much so I leave you with this, Jesus gives us an invitation to rest and in that invitation He says:

Change Lanes:--Slow Down. Here is An invitation from Jesus to get out of the fast lane and move over to the Slow Lane. We live life in the Fast Lane, trying to beat this deadline, catch this light, get around this driver, constantly irritated that people don't move at our pace or our speed; so we rush around them only to catch a red light and the very person we expended the energy to get past pulls up right by us. In one car there is a frustrated person and in the other car is a person laughing. Get in the Slow Lane, you will still get there but you will enjoy the trip better. Jesus says, "Come Away". Leave the fast lane.

Change Locations--Steal Away. Jesus encourage us not just to change lanes but change locations. Leave the hustle and bustle, the deadlines, disappointments and the demands, leave FaceBook, Twitter, and the Blackberry, come to a Desolate place. A retired place where you can steal away.

Change Your Life--Sanctuary with the Saviour--On Highways, there are designated places for weary travelers who have spent too long on the road. They are called "Rest areas or Rest stops". They are strategically placed where accidents are more prone to happen or during stretches between gas stops or restaurants. The design is to keep you safe and from running off the road. It's meant to save your life.

Jesus is our rest area. He knew that you would get tired and weary, He knew you would almost drive off the road, He knew that you wouldn't have Bahama money or Jamaica money, no funds to run the Essence Festival so Jesus says "REST IN ME". Jesus will go with you because vs 32 says, "They", not the disciples by themselves, but "they" suggests company came with them. Let Jesus change your Life, find solitude and sanctuary with the Savior.

Sorry for so much,

Owens