We live in a very hurried world today! The word "rest" is almost missing from our vocabulary! I hear people talking about trying to get some "rest." The frantic lifestyle we live today has crept into the spiritual realm also, and we can have frantic activity spiritually and fail to enter into God’s rest! Every year I try to have a month of Sabbath for the church to rest, but it has yet to happen. There’s always something to be done.
But lately I’ve been wrestling with the notion that it is possible to acknowledge God and fail to enter into His rest. It happened to Israel in the wilderness, and it can happen to us today, too. We feel the force of restlessness and anxiety in all kinds of situations and through all seasons of the year. By the way, as of Sunday there are 65 days till Christmas!
We are worn out by relationships that are teetering on the brink of ruin. We are worn out by our bodies that reveal aches in places we didn’t see coming. We are worn out by problems in the world that threaten our security. We are just simply worn out, aren’t we?
Doesn’t it seem like life is one hurried activity, followed by another, followed by more activity, another commitment, another Zoom, followed by fulfilling responsibilities in the home, followed by falling into bed? Once this routine is played out, we get to do it all over again the next day and the next day…
When we finally get completely worn out, we go to the doctor only to be told, "You need some rest." Oh really, as if we didn’t know that already. The question is, "How can I experience rest when I have to go to meetings, pick up the kids to go to their activities, take care of sick loved ones, prepare supper, wash and fold the clothes, clean the house, get the kids’ lunch ready for school, go to work, and prepare to meet deadlines?
If there were someone who could come up with an answer to that question, if you could write a book to solve that dilemma, then you would be the busiest person of all! Because everybody around the world would want you to come to their meetings and teach them how to limit the stress, duress, and anxiety, so that they can experience the quiet rest of peace and tranquility.
But wait, we are the Church, aren’t we? The descendants of the Israelites, those grafted in by faith in the God who calls us into rest. So, if the church doesn’t have rest, where can people go? We’re the ones folks should come to when they’re feeling weary and worn down. If I see you wearing a cross, can you help me find some peace in my mind? What if the church was known as a place to find rest?
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Let’s talk about it on Sunday as we continue the sermon series on Bridge Building. This Sunday’s title: The Bridge of Rest. If you can’t make it in person, please join us online at www.umcgt.org.
Coffee with the Pastor The next one will be on this Tuesday, October 22, from 10:00-11:00am. Stop by the church for a little coffee and conversation with me. I would love for us to talk about questions you might have and get to know one another better! I’ll be upstairs in the lobby, near the coffee pot!
Pledge Sunday will be October 27. Shortly you will receive a pledge card for 2025. Please pray and ask the Lord about your 2025 giving. God has truly blessed this church, and it is because of the faithful and generous giving of the body! We will gather the pledge cards on October 27, pray over them, and ask God to bless each pledge. Then top the morning off with a Celebration Lunch! To God be the glory!
WOW! Join us on Wednesdays as we discuss the book: Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero. If you’ve ever had your emotions get the best of you, this class is for you! If you’ve ever experienced grief or loss, this class is for you! How do we deal with our emotions in a healthy, spiritual way? Let’s talk about it! This semester we’re doing a joint class with Union Memorial, so we are offering in-house as well as a Zoom option. The newsletter and website have the Zoom information if you prefer. The in-house gathering will include a potluck meal at 5:45p and the class will go from 6:30-7:30p.
Vision for 2024:
A House United:
Strong Faith, Strong Families, Strong Future!
Blessings,
Pastor Linda
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