There once was a middle aged, overweight, bald man who was super busy all the time. He would always complain that if he just had more time, he could get things done. This went on for years. And he never seemed to be able to take a day off. However, over time he noticed that even though he would sometimes be behind and sometimes be ahead, things still got done either way. So he decided it was reasonable to take a day off knowing that things would get done.
That poor attempt at a parable really isn’t a parable at all. If we’re being honest, we’ve all been there. Maybe not everyone is as old, overweight, or as bald as me, but we can all relate to being busy, on the go, and out of gas. Enter the Sabbath Day. I consider myself just like the father of the son who had an evil spirit. So I believe. Specifically, I believe in rest! But I need God to help me overcome my un-rest (Mark 9:24)! I know in my head that I need to take a day off (and I want to), but my fear keeps me from doing it. Nevertheless, Jesus never intended to run us ragged. After all, He said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 ESV).
One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was to take a nap! It does wonders for the soul! Believe it or not, when we take a day off and/or are well rested, it helps us to be MORE productive, not less. And slowing down doesn’t mean that we need to take everything out of our schedules. There’s nothing wrong with being busy. But there’s also nothing wrong with taking a day off once a week. In fact, that’s what God had in mind from the beginning. He set the example for us and took a day off. So try out this prayer over the next few days: Father God, I believe in rest! Help my un-rest! Amen.
Written by Keith Hartlaub, pastor of The Way Church of Harford County