Are You in a Holi-Daze?

Christmas is a busy time of year for most of us. If we don’t pull back and take a breath once in awhile we’re likely to become overwhelmed. One year when I felt the crush and rush of the season, I turned to Scripture. I wanted to find out what God had to say about rest.

REST from burdens.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28 NIV)

What better time to respond to this invitation than during the Christmas season. Merchants don’t want you to rest. They want you to buy their goods and services. Bankers don’t want you to rest. They want to loan you money so they can charge you interest. Friends don’t offer to give you rest. They want you to come to their party or dinner or serve on a committee at church or at work. And your children and spouse? Well, they may sympathize that this season is demanding, but do they want you to rest? Not really. If you do, who’ll prepare the meals and shop for gifts, organize the family get-together, and pay for it all when the bills arrive?

Only the Lord wants you to rest. Only he wants you to come away with him when you are weary and heavy-laden. When you hear his call, put down whatever you’re doing. It’ll be there when you return.

REST from work.

“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the ploughing season and harvest you must rest” (Ex. 34:21 NIV).

Set aside some vacation days for this season of the year. Too many of us try to work normal hours and shop and cook and decorate and entertain. Then we wonder why we come down with a cold or the flu or a bout of depression. We need to rest. We deserve to rest. We require rest.

For some of us that means turning off the computer, turning on the message machine, saying no to an invitation, saying yes to the desire to take a nap, simplifying the way we do our jobs–taking on less and giving away more.

REST from people.

“‘Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’” (Mark 6:31 NIV).

Like Jesus, you may feel the press of the crowd and need to retreat for a few hours. There are times when we absolutely must be alone–away from the noise, the bustle, the anxiety that seems to run through the masses. Jesus experienced it often. And at such times he went off alone or with a small band of friends, to pray, to listen to his heavenly father, to rest. How much our lives would change for the better if we, too, did what our heavenly father tells us to do. Rest from people.

Let’s enjoy the beautiful days ahead—but also sneak off from time to time for a rest with the Lord—whose birth we celebrate. Merry Christmas!