34 Days of Humdrum

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By Tracy Phua, 23, Singapore

routine | roo-teen |

Noun

Definition: a regular course of procedure

That’s probably the only word that rightly represents my life this past month. I’ve been going through the motions with each day presenting itself the same way as the last.

Like a hamster on the wheel, I’ve been running non-stop in the last 34 days. As a result of inadequate rest and the lack of spiritual nourishment, I’m moving on a “dangerously low tank”—with rusty engines and a stuck ignition. I struggled to find the Sabbath time I needed to just rest quiet in God’s presence.

sabbath | sab-uhth |

Noun

Definition: a Christian’s rest found in the Lord; usually a day set aside in the week, commonly a Sunday

The Sabbath was a day set apart in accordance to the Ten Commandments for the Jews to honor God through their rest just as the Lord rested on the 7th day after the creation of the world. “This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord” (Exodus 16:23a).

The hustle and bustle of life sometimes causes us to unwittingly forfeit our proper rest in God. I have been guilty of this. I often pack my Sundays with a flurry of activities, leaving me more exhausted than ever, and totally unrejuvenated to meet the challenges of the new week.

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”
He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and
His apostles didn’t even have time to eat.
Mark 6:30-31

In Mark 6:30-32, we read that Jesus’ disciples had been kept busy in their ministry, such that they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus noticed their fatigue and decided that all of them should retreat and rest. But Jesus’ appeal to rest was over and above that of physical rest alone.

Many of us serve in church, Christian organization or the community for the sake of the gospel and rightly so. Like the disciples, we serve for long periods of time without rest. We are constantly found among people, praying, sharing, caring and loving. Sometimes that adds to our personal spiritual weariness as well.

Jesus desires for us, His disciples, to come to Him and spend time with Him. This is what true rest is all about.

Learn to take some time to just “be still” (Psalm 46:10) amidst the hustle and bustle of life. This would require us to make some intentional adjustments to our priorities in life. We need to incorporate rest into our lives, making it a point to come to Him in prayer, recharging our spent batteries and refreshing our hearts.

When did you last make a considered effort to spend time with our Lord, just to be with Him, enjoying His presence?

Don’t wait till tomorrow, take a rest today.