In his Lenten devotional Show Me The Way (Cross-
road, 1992), theologian Henri Nouwen encourages us to reject the voice of despair that says “forget about under- neath God’s arm and hone in on the voice of Jesus that says, ‘I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made. I love you with a love that has no limits. Do not run from me. Come back to me—not once, not twice, but always again. ... I so much want you to be close to me.’ ” Like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), when we
settle into the Father’s embrace we experience turning and re-turning as a vacation-like gift. Psalm 23 reminds us that God wishes to restore our
souls by leading us to quiet waters and pastures green. Repentance is a gift that ultimately leads to rest.
Rest
Imagine if entire congregations and communities truly experienced the kind of repentance that leads to rest. Would God’s work continue? In Kolkata, India’s, Home for the Dying and Destitute,
Mother Teresa insisted the nuns take Thursdays off. “The work will always be here, but if we do not rest and pray we will not have the presence to do our work.” Can you imagine how selfish it must have felt to turn
away the sick, hungry and desolate for some personal rest? But Mother Teresa understood the discipline of rest that in Hebrew is nachath. It means “lighting down,” which suggests a feather floating gently on the wind. The opposite of lighting down is someone trying to
carry more than he/she should. It takes discipline to trust that God’s work will continue without our own prideful agendas. It takes faith to believe that God has important spiritual work to do that can only be accomplished if we are quiet and still. We take pride in our work and too easily believe we
are the glue holding all things together. The rest of Isaiah 30:15 says: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you refused.” If we rebel against repentance, rest, quietness or trust, we lose sight of the work that has already been accomplished through Christ. We forget that Jesus offers a yoke that is “easy.” Author Phillip Yancey suggests that Jesus would not appreciate our modern emphasis on punctuality, precise scheduling and accomplishing more. In The Jesus I Never Knew (Thomas Nelson, 1995), he reminds us that “Jesus did not mechanically follow a list of ‘Things I Gotta Do Today’ …. He attended wedding feasts that lasted for days. He let himself get distracted by any ‘nobody’ he came across, whether a hemorrhaging woman who shyly
touched his robe or a blind beggar who made a nuisance of himself. Two of his most impressive miracles (the raising of Lazarus and of Jairus’ daughter) took place because he arrived too late to heal the sick person.” Like Jesus, we can live in the moment with the same
focus it requires to thread a needle. We can accept the invi- tation to repent that Lent offers, welcoming it like a much needed vacation. And when the Savior whispers, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy bur- dens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), we can lean into Jesus and the stories leading up to Easter in a way that truly sets us free.
Five restful disciplines for Lent
• Get more sleep: Your energy level and overall Lenten perspective will begin to change when you commit to getting more sleep. Practice going to bed 30 minutes earlier than your usual bedtime. Or, if you’re guilty of hitting snooze repeatedly, set your alarm for a realistic time so you can capture more uninter- rupted Zs. • Read about rest: Consider a book about meditation, prayer or slow- ing down. Seven Sacred Pauses: Living Mind- fully Through the Hours of the Day by Macrina Wiederkehr (Sorin Books 2008) is a wonderful read for anyone who wants to learn to bring balance to their frenetic days. Practice this monastic tradition of pausing at key points during the day to pray, breathe and live in tune with the spirit of each hour. • Practice saying no: It might feel difficult to refrain from taking on more responsibility in life, espe- cially when called upon to
do something you believe in. But for six weeks make a commitment to refrain from adding anything new to your life, citing religious reasons if needed. • Forgive yourself: Some- times it’s the internal voices of doubt, shame and self- judgment that fuel our rat races. Practice being easy with yourself. Memorize Jesus’ invitation to the weary and heavy laden (Matthew 11:28) or a verse on forgiveness—repeat it often. • Give lay leaders a break: Change up your church programming during Lent so youth leaders, Sunday school teachers or other key assistants can take a much needed hiatus. Offer a slower paced curriculum for youth that is creative, refreshing and in the spirit of the Lenten season. Or seek out substitute help for a handful of leaders who seem burned out and in need of time to reflect, relax and rejuvenate.
Cheri Mueller
February 2013 15
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