Today’s scripture: Romans 12:1-8 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Brent Walsh):
I don’t like New Year’s resolutions.
It’s not that I don’t think I should strive to improve my life through exercise or reading the Bible through or taking a class or volunteering. The problem is that I rarely live up to my own expectations. Inevitably this list of resolutions has been constructed while I’m still on a high from the holidays and it’s full of things I think I should be doing. But when life settles down and I introduce this list to my already overloaded work and school schedule, all I hear is the faint sound of laughter coming from the pages of my pocket calendar. “Let me know how that works out for you,” it seems to say.
But what if my New Years resolutions did not consist of more things to do, but rather more ways to rest? I just finished my first semester of seminary where the word “busy” took on a new meaning! I had more books to read and papers to write than time to do them, so taking a rest was peppered with a feeling of guilt — the feeling that I should be doing something productive. Fortunately, one of my classes made it mandatory to quiet myself for a period of time each day so that I could engage in a worshipful experience of my choice. Admittedly I did not follow through with this practice as often as I was supposed to, but when I did, it seemed I had more time to do the other things I needed to do!
Our society doesn’t often put a high value in doing nothing. “I’ve just been so busy” is a great catch-all excuse, like the junk drawer that holds anything from rubber bands to flashlights. Throw it out in a pinch and you can be forgiven for a wealth of infractions. But consider Paul’s advice not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. How do we renew our minds? Is it through doing, doing, doing? Or is it through allowing your body and mind to relax and rejuvenate?
Thought for the day: “A good rest is half the work.”– Yugoslav Proverb
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.