A couple days ago, I spoke to the staff women (and staff wives) of Gateway, a sister church here in Austin. While I spoke, I made homemade bread. There are only a few ingredients: yeast, sugar, water, flour, salt. And only a few steps to bread making: mixing, kneading and resting.
Rest is essential to the rise. Without rest, the yeast can’t do what it’s supposed to do and make that lovely loaf.
While I made the bread, we talked through the sixth chapter of John. This is where it’s recorded that Jesus fed the five thousand with fish and bread and then hid from the crowds. Yep, Jesus hid … from people.
In multiple places, the Bible says that he hid and rested.
Jesus was not on 24/7. He was not wholly available to every single person.
R-E-S-T is a huge component of healthy spirituality. In Genesis, God rested. In the Gospel, Jesus rested.
So what is this crazy mind-set that if you’re really ‘sold-out’ for Christ … you’re available 24/7? What is this idea that if someone needs you, you must always, always, always step up and not hide out?
A rest-less spirituality rejects the Jesus model of rest-driven spirituality. So gracious, that means
a REST-LESS spirituality is a CHRIST-LESS spirituality.
That’s the Gospel truth.
There is a place for taking calls, saying yes and showing up but there is also a place for hiding out like Jesus.
Everything in it’s place.
Here’s a little something you can do to get some rest today.
- Read the sixth chapter of John.
- Make homemade bread.
- Mix up some homemade peach rosemary butter.
I promise everything will slow down when you do. And you’ll remember that all of life’s problems aren’t solved because you rush around, take every call and never settle down.
Jesus hid out. So can you.
xoxo.