Too Busy

Last night I was with a group of parents at my daughter's soccer party.  She has played with this team for a few seasons now and I've begun to develop some relationships.  Largely though, we know surface level facts about each other.  In a gathering like this, you really only get to talk to the people next to you.  Work, the holidays, the weather...all safe topics.  I'm not really one who thrives in this kind of environment; I sometimes don't know what to say...

One thing I noticed that in all the conversations, everyone was mentioning how busy they were.  From blue collar work to the legislative branch (I was sitting between a truck driver and a lawyer), everyone has the same reaction to the pace of middle-class pace of life.  Last night when my husband got home at 9 from another late meeting, we were talking about how every season is busy.  Fall, school starts and sports.  Then the holidays come-pretty soon it's spring and with sports and school wrapping up you're busy.  Then summer comes and the leisure you think you get is busy...too many vacations to rush to and then back at work.  It seems to defeat the point to go on vacation to relax when going makes you feel too busy! 

Readers from all over the world visit this blog, so don't know if this is relevant in other places but in the States it seems like the common state is busy.  In fact, I have a friend wanting to get together for spiritual connection and my next night free is in two weeks!  A good friend in the Lord came by to talk about ministry for the half hour we both had.  The conversation was good, but I had originally pictured not just getting the facts in but getting to know more about the person.  At the end of our time she mentioned needing to get away as she just can't rest at home; her plan is to get away for the weekend.  

It occurred to me this morning as I sat down to spend time with God, that people need rest.  And am I so different than the world around me? My calendar is just as full.  Is this the way I'm supposed to live?  Is this the way God has for me? 

Being a go-getter, I've always struggled with prioritizing rest.  Though out my time following God I've come back to the Sabbath again and again.  Though we are free from the sacrificial law in Christ, the moral law with it's life-giving boundaries still remains.  

This weekend was busy.  My daughter was serving at another church so we went and the pastor was teaching on the provision of God by giving them manna.  What I took away was the peace of God in asking them to rest. 

Exodus 16

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,
23 he said to them, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.'"
24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.
25 Moses said, "Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.
26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none."
27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.
28 And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
29 See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day."
30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Though we often think of the 10 commandments as a place the Bible mentions the requirement to rest, shadows of the intent of that law are found here.  Because He takes care of us, we can take a day off.  Because He is holy, we can trust HIm.  Because He has a way for us to live, if we don't live that way we will suffer harm as it's against His intent and design for us to thrive! 

God gave more that was needed so there could be a day of rest. As I mentioned previously, people work very hard to rest well.  Typically this might look like a vacation or a get away.  While I think there is value in that, I think what most people are searching for is peace of the spirit, contentment, a break from trying to hard to feel secure and worthy.  You might be one of those people if in reading this and thinking about your last vacation, you didn't come back feeling rested.  I think it's because a get away won't give us the peace we seek unless it's coupled with a soul who has no work to do because their work has been done internally in Christ.  

For those that know His peace, the challenge is to allow the mind to renew to a place where you can stop working.  Where you can stop trying to be appreciated by the world and instead caressed by grace, meditating on all that has been done for you.  Is your daily quiet time in the word a task to be completed or a place to meet with God?  Is there space in little pockets of your day to remember having nothing to do but be in His presence?  These habits can bring a spirit of rest to the rhythms of your day. 

Matthew 11

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Come and receive.  Trade burden for new ways.  The giver is humble and ready.  You must seek rest, as it is to be found.  Easy and light is the currency of the exchange.

In the backward economy of God, let me remember that taking on more is receiving less.  That my rest is a witness and way to live differently than so many do.  That it's allowing margins for God to move and speak.  It's the gift that allows me to living joyfully, feeling refreshed down to my marrow while the world around me spins.