This is not the first time I’ve been bored on the world race, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. There are plenty of days when I’m torn between veggin’ out on one of the 400 movies on my computer, or reading through a book on my kindle. Not doing anything is not something I’m good at. This month, however, we are spending a lot of time asking the Lord for a play by play of ministry for the day. Sometimes, one of us feels led to go on a prayer walk. Other times, we watch movies with our hosts Joel and Nicola. All of which, I am grateful for, but lets be real…. it’s pretty light work.
How do you go from working in refugee camps to passing out Gospels of John to bus travelers and unfriendly fishermen a few days a week?
I’m not exactly sure, but what I do know is that you start by learning what it means to rest. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. On the seventh day, he rested. Something brought me to that verse awhile back and it stood out to me that the authors of the Bible made such a fuss about rest. It talks about it all the time and I never understood what the big deal was. Maybe it was because I never really worked hard enough in my life to warrant an entire day of rest, but for those under the Old Covenant, rest was law.
The view from here.
When I look out the window of the kitchen, I’m staring at the only true fjord in the Mediterranean. The beautiful black mountains lay the backdrop to a sea of green which meets the turquoise waters of the Adriatic with such beauty it beacons me every morning as I brew my tea to stop what I’m doing and take in the glory and wonder of God’s creation.
Ministry last month was busy, and although month 5 may look laid back in comparison to months prior, I’ve never had so much time to rest I God’s presence, and I pray I don’t take it for granted. With less physical ministry on our plates, I’ve had a lot of time to discover prayer in a new way, read some books, and build relationships with my new teammates. God has a way of working all things together for our good, and I’m learning to embrace all the many seasons along the way.
When God calls you to rest, you should listen. There is a lot to be learned in our culture about rest, and God can use down time to lift you up. Be intentional to find rest in the Father and I promise you won’t regret it.
We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.
-Mother Teresa
