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.
– Matthew 11:29
Climbing the career ladder, beating tight deadlines, and closing the deal are all marks of success in Western society. Millions of Americans even skip or cut short their well-earned vacations because they’re either afraid to fall behind at work or they can’t find time on their busy calendars. A study by jobs and recruitment website Glassdoor reveals that on average, American workers use only 54% of their eligible vacation time. For workers under "use-it-or-lose-it" company policies, this translates to hundreds of millions of completely forfeited days and billions of dollars in lost benefits nationwide.
Jesus had the world’s most important job — saving humanity from its sins — and his routine was often nonstop. In just three years he cured disease, raised the dead, and even calmed a raging storm. So, with such a tight schedule, it would seem like Christ would have little or no time to take a break or even socialize. But Scripture reveals that he indeed enjoyed quality off-time, and often with those who mattered the most to him. Jesus also admonished his busy disciples to give it a rest from time to time:
“Now come along to some quiet place by yourselves, and rest for a little while,” said Jesus, for there were people coming and going incessantly so that they had not even time for meals.
Likewise, Luke’s gospel records the time when Jesus visited the home of his friends Martha and Mary. While Martha busily prepared the food and straightened the house for a gathering, her sister Mary opted to take time out to listen to Christ’s message. Upset with Mary’s attitude, Martha complained to Jesus about the apparent injustice. But instead of scolding her sister, Jesus commended Mary for choosing the most important thing: quality time with him.
Wouldn’t it be nice to interrupt our non-stop routines to recharge our batteries and forget the everyday grind? The Bible teaches that well-earned rest is part of God’s design. With that in mind, let’s take a break from our daily busyness so we can take time to be with Him.
