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How Busy Are You?

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:2 

 We live in a day when the 9-to5 has become more like a 24/7. Technology allows us to be “on call” anytime, day or night.  

 You see it everywhere—couples out to dinner when one of them takes a work call at the table; parents out with their kids, stepping away to tend to a quick business matter; drivers making phone calls, sending texts, and checking emailat 65mph. 

 Nothing is wrong with hard work, pouring ourselves wholeheartedly into what we are doing—the Proverbs are full of such admonitions.  

 But we do need to rest. God rested, and He directed us to keep the Sabbath as a day of rest: Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed (Exodus 23:12). 

 This weeks verse reveals the folly of a life burning the candle at both ends. Those round-the-clock efforts are in vain. There is a place for rest. Its a necessity. And God offers it. 

 Jesus even offers us an invitation: 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). 

 Too much of even a good thing, becomes a bad thing, if it keeps you from the best thing. Ask yourself: How busy am I? Am I neglecting times of rest? Am I spending so much time and effort on the good things that Im missing out on the best things?  

 My prayer for this week: 

Heavenly Father, I thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I come to you weary and burdened. You know that I need rest and refreshment. Will you help me know where to say no within my schedule, for the sake of my physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing?