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.” Mark 6:31
“The number one enemy of Christian spiritual formation today is exhaustion. We are living beyond our means, both financially and physically. As a result, one of the primary activities (or anti-activities) of human life is being neglected: sleep.”
James Bryan Smith in The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows (Downers Grove: IVP, 2009) 33.
It’s the weekend. Hopefully we can all get some rest.
For years, when our children were at home, we had to plan diligently so that we would eat meals together and get a decent amount of sleep. Too many families are “coming and going” with so many activities that they don’t have time for meals together, and they don’t get adequate rest.
Jesus invites us to slow down, to cut out the noise, and find rest with Him.
For some of you, this might mean that it’s time to unplug the cable or satellite TV pumping into your home. We did that a few years ago. There’s plenty to watch on the internet for free. For others, it means limiting kids to one extra-curricular activity at a time so that the nights and weekends are not all washed out with rehearsals and productions or practices and games.
What does this have to do with generosity?
If you are living beyond your means physically, you are likely doing it financially too. It’s not just hard, it’s impossible to live generously if you are over-extended in many areas of life. It does not mean you can’t have a full schedule. Generous people have very full schedules. It’s about having priorities in line. Do you?
If you are weary, perhaps it’s time to reassess your priorities. Start with getting some sleep this weekend. Then find a quiet place, spend some time with Jesus, and ask Him about your priorities.