January 20, 2014
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” What’s the “rest” Jesus is referring to? How have you entered into it?
you choose Q: what can we do on the Lord's Day (Sunday)?
Q: Can we attend interviews or exams on the Lord’s Day? —Samuel
A: The Christian church came into existence during a time when the Gentile world did not recognize a day of rest or worship. Pagans observed holidays and times of religious celebration, but they had no weekly day of rest or worship. Consequently, Christians in the Roman Empire had to…
quitting time
Sorting through some old papers, I found a yellowed pay-stub that showed I had worked 100 hours in the span of 7 days. It’s crazy—I know, since there are only 168 hours in a week. As I fingered the faded document, I tried to recall the project that had required so much of my time many years ago. I looked…
all good things
Recently, I toured Bassett Hall, the home that John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife Abby purchased in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the 1930s. Upon the death of the famous philanthropist, the home was bequeathed to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation—the foundation the Rockefellers had created for the purpose of restoring the many historical sites in the village.
The home was simply…
ready, set, rest!
Pedro Soria Lopez is a champion sleeper. He won first place in Spain’s national napping competition. The contest was held in the middle of a bustling Madrid shopping centre where hundreds of participants vied for victory. Pedro’s prizewinning siesta lasted for 17 minutes and earned bonus points for his ‘thunderous’ snores.
What I find most amazing about Pedro’s feat is…
one thing
My friend Cha-Lisa threw away her to-do list— for good. During the weeks leading up to her decision, she and I had talked about feeling trapped by the never-ending inventory of tasks. Cha-Lisa said, “Get one thing done, and two more things pop up in its place.” I told her, “I feel guilty when I can’t finish everything.” We concurred…
labor to rest
Genesis 2:1-3: So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all his work of creation.
In the sixth…
human race
The alarm clock goes off way too early. At least, that’s how it feels. But a long day awaits you. First, you need to drop the kids off at school. Then there’s a breakfast meeting to attend, followed by a whole series of urgent matters to deal with.
That’s a typical day for a lot of people. As someone once…
sweet dreams
Psalm 127:1-2: Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones.
Do you…
tough sledding
While we were on vacation in Alaska, our family visited the kennels that house Denali’s sled dogs. There we got to observe and learn about these amazing animals that help park rangers patrol the vast wilderness of Mount McKinley National Park during the long, harsh winter months.
One of the intriguing things we discovered about sled dogs is their incredible…
rest
We live in an action-oriented world, and it seems that simplifying our lives has never been more complicated. Answer the following questions as honestly as you can to determine if you need to rest: Do I feel stressed when functioning in my normal day-to-day activities? Is it difficult to find joy in the life that God has given me? Do…
compassionate anger
Some things make me angry. Newspaper columnists who belittle life-long marriage; radio hosts who rile against refugees; the big glossy advertisements for brothels in my local newspaper; climate-change proponents who label their critics ”deniers” to silence them; climate-change critics who label their opponents “alarmists” for the same reason. Yes, some things make me angry.
Jesus became angry (John 2:13-17; 11:33). One…
never in a hurry
Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.” I wish I could make these words of John Wesley my own. Most days for me are full, with numerous duties, deadlines, phone calls, e-mails, plans, and diary items to act on. Many times that peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) is pushed aside by busy thoughts and…
the longing of God
Blaise Pascal once said the now-famous words: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which [can] be filled . . . only be filled by God.” St. Augustine once prayed, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” In Revelation 21 we see the end of human longing—the heart at rest in relationship…
