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Rest A While

SCRIPTURE FOR SUMMER                                                                                                                                                                          
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.  He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while."  For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.  And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.  Mark 6:30-32

In the passage above, from the Gospel of Mark, which we will read on Sunday, July 19, Jesus and his disciples were busy, busy, busy.  And they were growing weary from all that they had done.  As the news of Jesus' teaching and healing ministry spread, more and more people were coming to them.  They were traveling throughout Galilee.  One can imagine the work that took, then the long treks, before they ever began to preach, teach, and minister with the sick.  Jesus knew that if this kept up neither he nor his apostles could respond to others very well. 


Many of us know the feeling.  We do not have the energy we would like to have for all of the demands upon us, let alone for all that we yearn to do.  Some of us are busy now with graduations and weddings.  Others are organizing summer vacations and reunions.  Some of us are taking advantage of the warm weather to plant gardens or make house repairs.  All of us have worked at the church to make Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and our 125th Anniversary and Rededication meaningful events at which we welcomed many.  This passage hits us where we live.

Jesus' way to find new strength for himself and his apostles was to set aside a place and time for rest, prayer, study, and friendship.  They would go somewhere in the leisurely, pleasant company of one another to prayerfully seek the presence of God.   Jesus most certainly remembered that even for God rest was an integral part of work. 


Summer can provide that time away.  An evening in the backyard.  A day by the river.  A vacation with family or friends.  A retreat.  Recreation in the beauty of summer's lushness.  We also are Jesus' friends and followers.  We must admit that we are not indefatigable and that we cannot make ourselves whole.  We turn to the Creator who is the source of our re-creation. 


Jesus did not ask his friends to dig deeper within their reservoir of energy to find some untapped inner strength.  Jesus called them to a time of new vigor and new strength that can only be found in restful times with God.  In our busy lives this will only happen if we make it happen.  Let each of us take a while this summer for prayer, for rest, for friendships, and for our re-creation. 
 

--Rev. Ann H. Franklin

Previous messages:

Winter 2008

Epiphany 2009

Advent 2008

Lent message

Christmas 2004