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Restful Worship
Restful Worship
He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. (Mark 16:31, HCSB)
According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.
Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bows implies.” The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.” People are also like that. That’s why we all need to take time to rest.
Rest is not only essential to our spiritual lives, it is imperative if we are to be productive. Christ understood the need to get away from it all and recharge His batteries. If the very Son of God had a need for some downtime, why do we have the idea that we can keep going like the energizer bunny?
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Set the Example
Proverbs 1:10
King James Version (KJV)
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Sin comes when we take a perfectly natural desire or longing or ambition and try desperately to fulfill it without God. Not only is it sin, it is a perverse distortion of the image of the Creator in us. All these good things, and all our security, are rightly found only and completely in him. – St. Augustine
Sin is a very compelling subject, and it is a trap that is so easy for the believer to fall into. Sin causes a breakdown in our relationship with our creator, and can cause trouble even in our earthly relationships. None of us are sin free, but sometimes we find the compulsion to sin overwhelming. Simply put, we enjoy it.
The Proverb we are looking at is a warning to avoid those that might lead you astray. Put another way it says: Dear friend, if bad companions tempt you, don’t go along with them. (The Message) When our friends are doing something we naturally would like to be a part of it. If we cannot separate ourselves from the worldliness of our companions, we need to part company.
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Ask Your Dad
Proverbs 1:8-9
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction
And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head
And ornaments about your neck.
THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside... I just finished cleaning."
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
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Born To Be Battered
Proverbs 2:1-5
King James Version (KJV)
2 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
During a time of extreme distress Job asked this question: “"But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” (Job 28:12) The answer for Job was that all wisdom comes from God. Solomon gives us some more specifics on wisdom.
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Keep the T-Shirt
Proverbs 1:5
King James Version (KJV)
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Marty Williams a Pastor of Family Ministries asks the question that we all must ask ourselves today, “Am I Teachable?” He has 12 thoughts to help us discover if we are teachable:
1.I am willing to listen more than talk.
2. I admit when I am mistaken.
3. I observe before acting on a situation.
4. I am able to agree to disagree.
5. I desire information more than answers.
6. I enjoy asking questions.
7. I am open to suggestions and new ideas.
8. I feel comfortable asking for advice or directions.
9. I am patient and a willing “Student.”
10. I enjoy reading for information that is practical and applicable.
11. I seek out new perspectives on the questions of life.
12. I can appreciate criticism without being deeply wounded.
The proverb says that a wise man will hear, or listen, and continue to learn. Often we get to the point where we figure we have just about learned it all. We’ve been there, done that, and burned the t-shirt so we don’t have to be reminded about it. We want to consider ourselves teachable, but are we really?