06-12-21

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
June 12, 2021
Scripture: Matthew 14:22-23
Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds. When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone.

Thought for the Day: I picture Jesus standing at the water’s edge, smiling as the disciples float away, yet in the back of his mind he is thinking, “Thank God!!” We all need a break. We all need a little time to catch our breath. Even the extrovert needs to step away on occasion. I remember hearing Fred Craddock years ago talking about clergy who had been complaining to him about feeling exhausted. Fred’s advice for them was simple: Take a nap! It does not specifically mention a nap in the passage above, but I imagine Jesus finding contentment in his quiet prayer time. I see his shoulders relaxing as he didn’t have the constant questions from the disciples and the multitude of requests from the crowd. In that more relaxed state, I picture Jesus dozing off. In a world where too many people define themselves by what they are doing, there is a tendency to ignore rest. Yet studies show how well rested people are the most productive. Even Jesus needed a little break. Make sure you give yourself one.

Prayer: Give me permission to rest, Gracious One, and to find my value in something other than busyness. Amen.

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