Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting

"Alas! that Christians should stand at the door of eternity having more work upon their hands than their time is sufficient for, and yet be filling their heads and hearts with trifles."
-John Flavel

This is a good word which I find deeply convicting. I've realized that its all too easy for me, in the midst of a busy schedule, to justify wasting what free time I do have. After working, going to class, and doing homework, I'm very good at popping in a movie, getting a drink and sitting in a mindless haze for a few hours. While I'm not persuaded that this is always bad, I do think that the way we approach relaxation, especially as it relates to the television, internet, and video games, is something with almost no historical precedent.

I've been reflecting on historical ideas of the Sabbath lately in evaluating my "rest". While one element of the Sunday rest to many historic Christians was not working and spending time with the community of believers, there was also a profoundly spiritually-focused element to it. Time would be spent in prayer and devotion, families would discuss the sermon in depth, and children would practice their catechism. The key thing here is that rest was not, to these people, about doing nothing. It was about intentionally stepping back from the labors of the world in order to be refreshed by the Truth of Christ.

I know that, if I viewed the world rightly, this would characterize my times of rest as well. It is certainly good to break from the pressures of life; from homework and paychecks and chores. However, it is a gross error to then assume that this time is most beneficially spent "tuning in and tuning out" to our media drug of choice. As Flavel points out, the labors of our hands are for eternity. It is utterly foolish, then, to set our minds on something less. Let me be refreshed by prayer, by contemplation, and by dwelling on the words of life! That I seek to be refreshed by something less is foolishness. In Christ is rest; let me not quickly go to something fleeting and poor when I might be built up and invigorated by the one whose yoke is easy and whose bureden is light.