This morning I shared this message in our hospitality team huddle. My words were slightly different as I gave the message as I spoke from where the Spirit led, but these are my notes.
I’d like to begin with these verses:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
“But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.””
Luke 10:41-42 ESV
I love so many things about Jesus; from his love and compassion to his teachings. Yet, one of the things that is standing out to me now and that he has been teaching me lately is to not be in a hurry.
Dallas Willard, a wonderful philosopher and theologian said, “We must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives”
John Ortberg further states in his book “Soul Keeping”: “Being hurried is an condition of the soul. It means to be so preoccupied with myself and my life that I am unable to be fully present with God, with myself, and with other people. I am unable to occupy this present moment. Busy-ness migrates to hurry when we let it squeeze God out of our lives”
Jesus shows us time and again that, though he was busy, he was never hurried. He took the time to get away and pray and to be with his Father. In the midst of chaos, crowds, and goings on, he slowed and focused on the one right in front of him.
Kyle Idleman puts it this way on his book “One at a time”, “When someone stood in front of him, time stopped. Everything in his life- all his concerns, his agenda, his plans, his goals- seemed to blur and disappear. The only thing that mattered was the person standing in front of him. Jesus changed the world one person at a time”
The place God has me in now is one of embracing letting go of hurry; of practicing the discipline of Sabbath. He has had me turning off my phone and, instead, spending time with Him doing thing that draw me closer to Him.
My encouragement to you is to slow down. Remember Jesus may have been “busy’ but he was never hurried. Take a moment to look at your days. We all have the same number of hours in a week. How are you spending yours? Is it live giving and live renewing? Are you so “busy” that there is not a spot for God to give you rest in Him?
Heavenly Father, Thank you that we can find rest in You. That your yoke is easy and we can give you our burdens. Lord, help us to slow down and see the one that is right in front of us. Help us to not be so busy doing for You that we forget to be with You. Let us not lose our connection to the vine. Instead let us embrace the joy that is found in being so deeply rooted in You. We love you and it is in the name of Jesus we pray
Faith Grows Faith 