Summer Respite
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. - Mark 6:30-32
I have a few friends who used to joke that they were studying to become a teacher for three good reasons: June, July, and August! While the truth is that they are excellent teachers who truly care for their students, the old joke about June, July, and August is funny because we all like the idea of having the time off. I also don’t know any teachers who actually take all that time “off”, and school schedules are not all alike any longer.
I’m sure my elementary and high school teachers were as ready for a break from me as I was for a break from school. Students and teachers alike counted down the last days of the school year. The math, language, history, and science work diminished and the incidence of nature movies increased. We celebrated with Last-Day-of-School class parties, and we all escaped into the warm summer afternoon.
My childhood summers were full; full of going to the lake or ocean with friends, late evening kick- the- can games, visiting grandparents, building tree forts, VBS, and some summer school fun classes.
For adults, summers are far different than those of our youth. That summer job that seemed like a neat idea transformed into a year-around commitment. Sprinkler parties turned into overtime. Lazy summer days when we complained that there was nothing to do are but a distant memory. When was the last time you had “nothing” to do?
The good news is that even as adults, summer is the season when many of us take vacations. Did you know that Jesus taught his disciples that it was important for them to take a vacation? Jesus’ disciples traveled from town to town telling others about God and God’s love for them. They traveled every day preaching, teaching, and healing the sick. They worked so hard that they often didn’t even have time to stop to eat or sleep. They became very tired.
When Jesus saw how tired they were,he said to them, “Come with me to a quiet place and get some rest.” The Bible then says, “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” - a break from our ordinary labors. Scripture is full of God’s telling us to take a break: God resting on the seventh day, the commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, Jesus’ frequent escapes to the wilderness, Jesus’ reminder that the Sabbath was created for us, ….
We are reminded to take these breaks in order to get away; to take a break from our labor and rest, to break free from the tyranny of the urgent, and to break out of our ruts to spend time with God.
Here’s a thought! Invite God to go on vacation with you. Spend some quiet moments talking with God about your life and listen for God’s reply. Include a time of prayer and devotion as part of your daily vacation routine. Look for God’s presence in your day and consider your many blessings that are often obscured in the daily rush.
If you include God in your vacation, chances are you will return with a renewed sense of God’s love and purpose for you that is far more important than an extra nap and a tan from the beach.
Blessings on the journey!!!
Pastor Cindy

