The Easy Yoke, The Light Burden

“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.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Although not an official season of the church calendar, I have also felt that May was the official “fatigued” season of the church year. It’s the end of the church programming year -- the time when events are drawing to a close, studies are concluding, small groups are stopping for the summer. And if you are like me, living in a society where we over-commit to everything – it’s the season of the year when you are downright exhausted, burned out. You can’t wait for the summer to start so you can get some rest. Summer is a time when you get a new attitude and get refreshed for the new season – albeit to say that each year the summer seems to go by so fast.

But it is the end May – and we are running on fumes, just trying to get through this month. I read something recently (on the Internet as usual) that caught my attention. In ancient times, when people visited a shaman because they were sick inside, the shaman asked four things:

1. When in your life did you stop singing?

2. When in your life did you stop dancing?

3. When in your life did you stop being enchanted by stories, and particularly by your own story?

4. When in your life did you start being uncomfortable in that sweet territory of silence?

We may be exhausted from all the activity, but when we lose that passion in our lives and try to answer these questions, we may notice that it happened when our devotional life transformed into busy work and routine. It happened when we moved away from God and toward hustle and bustle activities. Maybe it’s time for a re-orientation. Let this time before summer starts to be a time for new energy and not an energy zapper. Take time to get oriented toward the Christ who has come, the Christ who is here, and the Christ who will come again – toward the living Christ.

#rest #sabbath #play #faith