Light Service Sermons for the Month
The Seventh Day Stretch
DATE: Mark 6:30-31
Light Service Sermons for the Month
The Secret to Job Satisfaction
The Seventh Day Stretch
DATE: Mark 6:30-31
The other day I cam across some startling statistics that give us some insights as to why so many of us feel so worn out. It appears that we're working harder than we thought. According to a recent survey, the population of the United States is 200 million. 84 million are over 60 years of age, leaving 116 million people to do the work. People less than 20 years of age total 75 million, leaving 41 million to do the work.
22 million are employed by the government leaving 19 million to do the work. 4 million are in the armed forces leaving 15 million to do the work. Take out the 14, 800, 000 in state and city offices and that leaves 200,000 to do the work. There are 188,000 in hospitals, asylums and so on leaving 12, 000 to do the work.
Out of that 12,000, 11,988 are in jail leaving just two people to carry the load, you and me—and I'm getting tired of doing everything myself.
Many of us do feel worn out. In fact, real research suggests that the number of people feeling rushed is increasing. Working parents ages 25-54 are most likely to feel rushed, with 64% of working mothers feeling rushed and 72% of single moms feeling that way.
Many of us feel like the woman at a bus stop. A pastor found her there crying. He asked if anything was wrong. She was a bit embarrassed, wiped her eyes, and said, "I'm fine. Really, I'm O.K." Then she went on to tell him that she got up every morning at 5:30—fixed breakfast and made lunches for her kids and husband. Once she got them off to work and school she did a bit of house cleaning. Then she caught a bus, traveled across town where she cleaned houses all day long. Late in the afternoon she took the bus home just in time to prepare dinner. Then she did the laundry, helped the kids with their homework, and by midnight, fell into bed exhausted. She was crying simply because she was tired. And her worn out emotions needed some kind of outlet.
Many of us can relate. Our jobs and the hectic pace of life is wearing us out, robbing us of our zest for living and for many, the enjoyment of our jobs. We feel like Marvin in our play, "on the edge." We just want some peace of mind, some rest from having to face day after day the pace of modern life and all its extracurricular demands.
As we learned a few weeks ago, what makes the hectic pace of life hard to deal with is the many of us who work late hours, take work with us on the weekends, cancel our vacations for the sake of the company, tend to be lifted up as model employees. After all, who ever heard of patting someone on the back because he or she had the sense to take a vacation or break when he or she was exhausted? We live in a society that finds it difficult to relax. We are told that if you want to get something done give it to a busy person to do.
But God didn't wire us for that kind of pace. He created us with the need for rest—rest each day, rest at least once a week, and extended periods of rest at least once a year. Even God, after putting in six touch days at the office creating the world, took a day off to rest. And if god needs to rest, so do we. And his loving invitation to us, in the midst of the fast pace of life, is to slow down and enjoy life—to rest.
After a particularly grueling few days Jesus sensed the need to take a break along with his disciples. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place and rest for awhile." He cared enough about his friends to encourage them to relax and re-energize their batteries. And that same compassionate invitation he made 2000 years ago is one he makes today to you and me. For he knows that if we want to enjoy our jobs, if we want to work at our peak, we need to take time to rest.
And that happens as we give ourselves permission to do so. The word leisure comes from a Latin word meaning, "to be permitted." We need to give ourselves permission to relax. Once we do that, then we need to find out what helps us to relax.
The ways people rest are as different as are people. The point is to find the way that works for you.
Many people have discovered the rest-inducing benefits of regular exercise—whether it's joining a health club, taking a walk, or gardening. Studies show that people who exercise feel better, sleep more soundly, handle problems better, and are more able to cope with life. Only 22% of those who exercise regularly feel rushed compared to 44% who don't. Moderate, enjoyable exercise may be one way for you to take Jesus up on his invitation to rest each day.
Relaxing with a book is another way to build in some rest each day. Some people find hobbies relaxing, some find shopping, notice I didn't say spending, restful.
I do believe that it's important for us to take at least one day off a week from our jobs and do something enjoyable. Again, God created us to function at our best with one day off per week. Sacrificing that day isn't heroic. It's dangerous.
Vacations are also important to overall health and well being—even if it's a few days off around the house doing nothing—it will refresh us and positively impact our perception of life.
Ultimately, rest is not simply something we do; it's an attitude we develop. Rest is taking seriously the way God wired us and living appropriately. It's take time to prioritize our lives, to slow down to enjoy what's really important.
Erma Bombeck was once asked if she would change anything about her life. Aft first she said no, but then after thinking about it, she said this: If I had my life to live over again, I would have waxed less and listened more. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because by hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have invited friends over to dinner, even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten popcorn in the good living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace. I would have taken time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have burnt the pink candle sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored. I would have sat cross-legged on the lawn with my children and never worried about the grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching real life. I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more ice cream. I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil and was guaranteed to last a lifetime. When my child kissed me impetuously I would never have said, "Later, now go wash up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's," and more "I'm sorry's," more "I'm listening's" but mostly, given another shot at life I would seize every minute of it, look at it and really see it, try it on, live it, exhaust it, and never give the minute back until there was nothing left of it. Rest is a matter of the heart. It's putting life into perspective. It's slowing down long enough to put the joy back into life each and every day and to see the hand of God in our lives. And that kind of life transforming perspective happens when Jesus breaks through our hectic pace gets our attention, and loving slows us down. As we build our lives on him, he helps us see the whole picture. He reminds us of the importance of both working hard and of taking a break. He sets us free to give ourselves permission to take a 7th day stretch. In the Bible, God shares a very special promise for those of us feeling overwhelmed by the hectic pace of life. He says, Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Ultimately, God, through Jesus Christ, is the source of our rest. As we surrender our lives to him, he promises to lift the pressures and burdens from our shoulders. He promises to heal the hurts that wear us out. He promises to forgive the sins that beat us up with guilt. He promises to refresh us and empower us for our work. Like eagles, who fly not by the power of their wings but by the power of the wind underneath them, so we undergirded by the power and love of Christ, will find ourselves re-energized and rejuvenated. Today, I invite you to take Jesus up on his offer to come away and rest for awhile by receiving him as your friend and savior. Let him re-energize you with his love and grace. Let him reshape your priorities that you might more fully enjoy life. And let him set you free to give yourself permission to rest.
AMEN