Part 1: Busy, busy, busy ...

Many of us are busy. As a church, we are busy. As a society, we are busy! And often we are busy with many good things. But are we sometimes a bit too busy? The current statistics for stress and burnout in the UK are alarming, and as Christians, we are not immune from doing too much.
 
I've recently been pondering the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30: 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I have to confess that I can sometimes come to this passage with some scepticism. Jesus spoke these words 2000 years ago, into an entirely different context. Is this really possible, in 21st Century Britain? Do I now need to add 'resting in God' onto my already slightly too long to do list? How does that work?! (spoiler alert: it doesn't). Or are the words of Jesus as true and relevant today as they have ever been? (second spoiler alert: I believe they are). If so, then they offer us a profound invitation to something very counter cultural.
 
Jesus' Jewish listeners would immediately have thought of the Sabbath. And while the Pharisees had added all kinds of additional rules and regulations to Sabbath-keeping that were making the whole thing somewhat cumbersome, God's original design for the Sabbath was more simple. First, stop working. Yes, even when the work isn't all done (isn’t that a challenge to some of us?!) Stop anyway. Stop the need to be productive every waking moment. Next, experience real rest. Not just the absence of work, but make space for the presence of God to bring you peace, restoration, wholeness and joy. And lastly, celebrate! Embrace all the wonderful things God has blessed you with, and get your full attention back on him, on his goodness and faithfulness!
 
Jesus invited us to discover true rest as we walk with him - not just one day out of seven, but throughout the whole of our lives as we walk in step (being 'yoked') with him. Of course, that doesn't mean that we won't at times still feel busy or stressed; Jesus made it clear that following him does not mean we are free from troubles in this life. And yet walking with him should make a tangible difference in our lives, as we respond to his invitation to come to him and learn from him, and discover his rest.
 
Later this week, I'll be unpacking some ideas about how we might start to put this into practice …

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay