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Imagine you're going on an adventurous expedition, and you're going to need some portable electrical appliances (torches, radios, etc).
Imagine three such portable electrical appliances: one runs on wind up clockwork power, one on solar panels and one on rechargeable batteries.
There's pros and cons to each:
Wind up radios need to sheer effort and elbow grease to power get their themselves.
Well, that could work - especially if we're out in the middle of nowhere.
Solar panel need sunlight - which may or may not be in around.
Rechargeable batteries have one big issue - they need to touch base with a big external power source, and only then can they carry some of their own charge.
Rechargebles aren't fully independent.
I want to suggest that we are a bit like that - like rechargeable batteries. We might be portable and powerful but we need to plug in to the mains - we need to connect with God and be refreshed, recharged, restored.
The trouble is that that takes time! and we're too busy to take time out!
There's a book with the title: "Too Busy To Pray?"
(I must confess I haven';t read it: "Too Busy To Pray?" - no, but too busy to read that book!)
But time spent praying - time spent being refreshed, restored, recharged - is an investment we can't afford not to make.
An investment is, by definition, a small short term sacrifice for a greater long term good.
E.g. Young people and pensions - why bother?
Eating a good breakfast - no time.
Etc. etc.
If we are like rechargeable batteries then we need to be refreshed, recharged, restored.
We can't afford not to be - but it's an investment.
It means taking time out to turn aside and be alone with God, and we can always think of better things to do in the short term than sit and pray and meditate and read the Bible.
The trouble is that the urgent often shouts louder than the important, so vital medium and long term goals never get done because we are always reacting to the short term and the immediate and the so-called urgent.
In our reading today we see that the crowd want Jesus to stay with them in their hometown and heal all their sick.
That's a pressing and urgent short term goal that a whole crowd are leaning on you to deliver.
But Jesus took time out to turn aside and be alone with God. He got up very early - while it was still dark - and went off to pray by himself. Then he got God's perspective and priorities. Jesus wasn';t swayed by the crowds but took time out to find out what God wants him to do. After all, that's the most important thing. But that's an investment - and investments requires wisdom, self-disciple, and even a degree of passion - you've got to want to.
Our relationship with God, time with him, is a investment. It's something we need to work at and keep the contact, the connection regular and frequent. Our relationship with God needs to fresh - like fresh daily bread, crusty on the outside and soft inside. Or is it old - soft crust and hard inside? Are we learning, growing, being challenged, changed and comforted, are we meeting with God often enough? what happens if not?
Jesus could only do what he did because he first took time out to be alone and to be still with God. He got his battery charged, as it were, and then he could do the work of God. We see this is the big shape and story of Jesus' life (baptism & wilderness precede public ministry) we see it in the microcosm of each day - Jesus taking time out to turn aside and be alone with God. But we're too busy!
But this "recharging" is essential - we can only do the work of God when we know the will of God. But the "work of God" might be a misleading phrase.
Jesus and God "always at work" but also never rushing, never stressed, never anxious or guilty. In fact the "work" of God, the work he wants us to do, may be to rest, to stop, to go slow, to say no, to be refreshed, recharged, restored. Sometimes we are called to be like the player in the orchestra who only has one short piece. in the whole concert. It's our job to sit and wait and listen and watch and then right on time to deliver it perfectly - no more and no less.
Sometimes we are called to be snipers - with one shot on target rather than a machine gun spraying and scattering bullets wastefully. A sniper might stay in position a long time, but when he shoots it counts. Other times we are called to be busy, to be running with God, here and there, doing this and that, working quickly and hard and well in the Master's service. Sometimes that's God will for us. But either way we have to know the willof God and do the work of God. But no or less than his work.
Workaholics or workshy? Which one do we tend towards? Are you an overperformer or an underperformer? God wants neither. He wants balance and he wants us to do his will -; neither any more nor any less. That means there will be busy times and hard service and costly sacrifice. There will be times where God wants us to rest, to be still, to be silent. But we so often get it wrong. We are busy when what God is saying no or be still. At other times we fail to do that which God wants us to do. (E.g.'s of both) We are all guilty of both but most of us will err more to one side or the other - either over or under performing. But neither is the perfect will of God.
So we need to stay in touch with him. We go to him to get refreshed, restored, recharged. There will be busy times and rest times. When the busy times come work in and with God; when the rest times come rest in and with God. Don't wish for one when you've got the other and don't try and make either one happen. That's hard - it requires great faith and trust and patience. So often in the busy times we feel tired or used or resent, unwilling, unable. Why? Because we are lazy and selfish and undisciplined, but when the quiet times come we feel guilty and anxious and restless Why? Because we fear being judged for doing nothing, because we crave affirmation and praise from people rather than from God. But we need to be led by God, inspired and empowered and enabled by him, putting aside our own agendas and needs.
So we need to come to God and be still and let him fill us up and show us what he wants us to do.
Let's end by going back to the start. We thought about three ways of powering a portable appliance: solar power, wind-up (clockwork) and rechargeable batteries. We've been thinking about how Christians are bit like rechargeable batteries. But you might be thinking that the other two - solar power, wind-up - were better options. After all they have more independence - they don't need to keep on coming back to a bigger power source to be recharged. You';d be right. Some Christians live as if they were solar powered - i.e. they think that God will recharge them on the go, as and when. Solar powered things don't need to take time out to get recharged. Some Christians think that they can live like that, too, without making special time for God. They think that God is everywhere and so there's no need to connect intimately and powerfully with God. Other Christians think that they are have a big wind-up handle and a clockwork mechanism and can power themselves. They know what God wants them to do, and how and when. They don't ask him or seek him or stop to check with him. They're really following their own agenda - and although it's always well meant and usually very churchy and Christian it's not the will of God.
These self-powered people are usually either doing too much or too little, they're too soft or too harsh.
Why? Because they're not regularly connecting with God to see what he wants them to do - and how and when and where.
But we are called to be rechargeable -; forced to stop, take time out to turn aside and connect with God. That might be time-consuming. That might be a pride issue - maybe you don't want to humble yourself and have to ask God to show you his will and set you his work But we are not self-powered, wind-up clockwork; nor are called to a general vague source of power like light. We are called to be like rechargeable batteries, we are called to take time out to turn aside and connect with God, to seek his will and to do it.
P.S.
Did you know there are two main types of rechargeable battery NiCad and Li ION. "Cads" like to get completely empty before they are recharged; Li ION ("Lions") like to be topped up little and often. It's easy to remember - "Li ONS" like to eat regularly. Guess which one I think Christians are like?
Don't be a "Cad" be a "LION"!
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Mark 1 : 29 - 39 |
Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew's house, accompanied by James and John. Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus. He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them.
That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, the whole city lined up at his door!
He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn't let them say a word.
While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him.
They found him and said, "Everybody's looking for you."
Jesus said, "Let's go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I've come."
He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons. |
Isaah 40 : 21 - 31 |
Have you not been paying attention. Have you not been listening. Haven't you heard these stories all your life. Don't you understand the foundation of all things. God sits high above the round ball of earth. The people look like mere ants. He stretches out the skies like a canvas yes, like a tent canvas to live under. He ignores what all the princes say and do. The rulers of the earth count for nothing. Princes and rulers don't amount to much. Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted, they shrivel when God blows on them.? Like flecks of chaff, they're gone with the wind.
"So - who is like me. Who holds a candle to me? says The Holy One. Look at the night skies: Who do you think made all this, Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name so magnificent! so powerful! and never overlooks a single one. Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, "GOD has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me" Don't you know anything Haven't you been listening? GOD doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.? And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to those who drop out. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagle, they run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind. |
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