Spiritual Practices: Work and Rest
Overview
When the disciples returned after being sent out by Jesus, they told the stories of everything they had done and what God had done through them. Jesus led them away from the crowds, away from the people asking for healing or deliverance, away from the ministry, the helping, and the serving that they were doing. He led them into a desolate place, away from the demands and the needs of others. He led them into a place of rest and recovery.
It didn't take long for the crowds to find them again, however. When Jesus saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion and began to minister, to serve, to heal, and to deliver again.
All through the gospels we see this pattern with Jesus; he moves outward to meet people's needs, and moves inward to spend time with God, to rest and to recover, and then he does it again. There is a rhythm to Jesus' life, a rhythm of work and rest. He doesn't become so self involved that he ignores and minimizes the needs of others. Instead, he values them, is moved by compassion, and serves them out of that compassion. At the same time, he takes time to restore his soul. He does not work himself to the point of exhaustion. He maintains a balance, a rhythm between work and rest.
The example of Jesus is one we should follow as well. We should not become so self-indulgent that we are not moved with compassion for others and we should take time for ourselves to rest and recover; we should develop a rhythm of work and rest.
Practice
This week take some time to do both. Intentionally reach out to help and serve someone else. Also, intentionally take some time for yourself to rest and recover. Intentionally develop a rhythm of both work and rest.
Overview
When the disciples returned after being sent out by Jesus, they told the stories of everything they had done and what God had done through them. Jesus led them away from the crowds, away from the people asking for healing or deliverance, away from the ministry, the helping, and the serving that they were doing. He led them into a desolate place, away from the demands and the needs of others. He led them into a place of rest and recovery.
It didn't take long for the crowds to find them again, however. When Jesus saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion and began to minister, to serve, to heal, and to deliver again.
All through the gospels we see this pattern with Jesus; he moves outward to meet people's needs, and moves inward to spend time with God, to rest and to recover, and then he does it again. There is a rhythm to Jesus' life, a rhythm of work and rest. He doesn't become so self involved that he ignores and minimizes the needs of others. Instead, he values them, is moved by compassion, and serves them out of that compassion. At the same time, he takes time to restore his soul. He does not work himself to the point of exhaustion. He maintains a balance, a rhythm between work and rest.
The example of Jesus is one we should follow as well. We should not become so self-indulgent that we are not moved with compassion for others and we should take time for ourselves to rest and recover; we should develop a rhythm of work and rest.
Practice
This week take some time to do both. Intentionally reach out to help and serve someone else. Also, intentionally take some time for yourself to rest and recover. Intentionally develop a rhythm of both work and rest.