August Blog 2024
Some of you will have heard me preach at the 9 am and Café Church on Jesus’ invitation in Mark Ch. 6. V. 30-34 to ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while’. I talked about the need to rest in order to serve, and finished by quoting Matthew 11. 28-29 from the Message translation.
‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I will show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly’.
This above passage was given to 3 of us while praying on Saturday morning, and I believe that God may be wanting us to hear this for ourselves, and corporately as a gathering of God’s people, His church at St. Mark’s. Since Bella’s accident, and a time of ‘enforced’ rest for both of us I have been reflecting on rest, slowing down for a loving union with Jesus, practising sabbath rest, and eliminating hurry from our lives. Four very helpful books (should you want some summer reading) for me have been ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’ & ‘Practising the Way’ by John Mark Comer, and ‘The Emotionally Healthy Leader’ & ‘Emotionally Healthy Spirituality’ by Peter Scazzero. Both authors write from personal experience of burn out and the impact not only on their own walk with Jesus, but also within their marriage, family and friends.
Throughout the Gospels Jesus models what it is to rest and serve, finding quiet and deserted places to be alone with His Father, after busy days and evenings of going about his Father’s business – proclaiming the good news that the Kingdom is near, healing the sick, casting out unclean spirits, ministering to children, the marginalised, and eating with sinners. If Jesus needed to find time to rest both physically and spiritually, then I suggest we also do!
We live in a very busy world, and immediacy is the expected. But as followers of Jesus we live in the world but are not ‘of the world’. We are to witness something different. We are to be Jesus’ apprentices, and as we spend time with him, we will become more like him and do as he did. But we need to slow down in order to notice the people that Jesus noticed of his day. Who are the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the fishermen, the sick, the marginalised, the poor, the widow, the lame and blind of our today? We need to get away with Jesus, recover our lives, We need to walk with and work with Him, and watch how he does it. As we keep company with Jesus He will signpost us to those He wants us to witness His love, compassion, forgiveness, healing, showing them another way of living, living lightly and freely – life in all it’s fullness. This is good news!
So as many of you prepare to take a summer break, or for some it may be later in the year, enjoy your physical rest, time out with family friends, sleeping, eating and exploring new places – all probably much needed and welcomed. But can I encourage you also to reflect on Jesus’ invitation to rest in His presence, to find a deserted place just to be, to listen, to pray and to learn the unforced rhythms of grace. What might Jesus be wanting to say to you this summer, and share this invitation to rest and pray with your children, youth, and friends.
I know all of you who will be reading this long to see the Kingdom of God extend over our parish and local community, and in order to do so we need to make sure our tent pegs are driven deep.
WE NEED TO REST TO SERVE
Summer Blessings
Hennie
P.S. Should you have missed my sermon on Rest to Serve on Sunday 21st July you can listen to it on our website.
