“FIND A LONELY PLACE AND GET SOME REST”

“FIND A LONELY PLACE AND GET SOME REST”               Mark 6:30-34, 53-56      Dana Douglass

Take yourselves back, if you can, to elementary school.  It was a long time ago for most of you; but can you remember what the last day of school before summer vacation felt like when you were eight, nine, ten years old?  Remember the excitement, the anticipation — remember how you just couldn’t wait for the school day to end, the bell to ring, and summer vacation to begin?

What was it you were waiting for?  In a sense you were waiting for . . . nothing.  You were waiting for the morning when the alarm clock wouldn’t ring at 7 o’clock.  You were waiting for that stretch of days when you didn’t have to be anywhere, or do anything — just a seemingly endless stretch of freedom, rest, sun and fun.  Can you remember 2:45 p.m. on the last day of school when you were in third grade?  When did you last feel like that?

Perhaps the last day of work before retirement feels like that?  But, most retirees I talk with say then wonder how they ever had time to work.  As soon as we are old enough to work, and then marry, and then have children, our lives get jammed full of obligations — places to be, things to do, worries, troubles, just stuff to always be thinking about.  It’s not that life isn’t good; it’s just life gets too full, and stays full even after retirement.

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus and his disciples cross the sea of Galilee so many times it is hard to discern the pattern and motive behind the itinerary.  Until the sixth chapter, that is, when the reason for the crossing is clear — Jesus thinks the disciples need a break!  It’s vacation time!

The story says that the disciples returned to Jesus and began to tell him all that they had accomplished.  “We had Bible study classes every day, went to the Deacons meeting and the Trustees, organized a church fair, reported to the Church Council, took in 25 new members, stopped by the hospital every afternoon and made our rounds visiting the sick, three funerals, two weddings, and a bunch of baptisms!”   Notice that Jesus didn’t pat them on the back, say congratulations on your good work; didn’t give Peter the disciple of the week award.  He said, “Come away to a lonely place, and rest awhile.”

Rest awhile!?  The whole world is falling apart.  The economy is in shambles — I’d better work while I can!  There are wars being fought; peace to be made!  Starving people to be fed!  Children with cleft pallets to be mended!  Boards to serve on!  Cancer research fundraisers to participate in!  Not to mention children to raise, grandchildren to spoil.  Rest awhile!?  Find a lonely place and do nothing?!

You might think you’ve heard more demanding messages from Jesus than, “Get away and get some rest.”  But, I’m not so sure.  For many people the command to rest is a difficult one to follow.  Is there anyone here who worked way more than 40 hours a week during your working years?  Is there anyone here who has had trouble over the years saying, “No,” when someone has asked you to do one more thing?  You realize it is idolatry to say “Yes,” to every request to help out?  And idolatry runs counter to one of the ten commandments — “You shall have no other gods before me.”  It’s Idolatry to never say “No”, because what you are really saying is, “The world can’t get along with me.”  Well, you are not God.  You are not Jesus.  If you don’t do it, even if it doesn’t get done; it won’t be the end of the world.”  I have a friend who left the ministry right in the middle of a promising career.  In describing the fatigue that led to his resignation he said, “I just couldn’t meet all the needs in the parish any more.”  Who ever told him that he could?  Who ever told him he was supposed to?!  Who did he think he was?

Someone used the analogy of a chameleon on a plaid tablecloth to describe the way many people live — frantically trying to be all colors at the same time — all things to all people, all the time. It’s a prescription for personal disaster.  “Come away to a lonely place, and rest awhile.”

The lesson this morning was split.  What was left out was the feeding of the five thousand and the calming of the storm at sea.  Now, perhaps the crowd really was hungry for bread and fish; and maybe the waves really were crashing around the boat; or maybe, those are metaphors.   Maybe the crowd was hungry for something that only a divinely inspired person could provide; maybe the storms of life were breaking over the people threatening to drive them under.  Maybe Jesus knew that what the people really needed was quiet, rest, peace.  Maybe that’s what he gave them — permission to be still for just a little while.  “Sit down here on the hillside; take a deep breath; we’ll do the cooking this evening; and we’ll clean up after, too.  You rest.”  Maybe that’s what you need.  Some of you are on here vacation.  Is every moment scheduled.  Some of you have a steady succession of visitors coming over the summer months.  You are hereby granted permission; no, you are ordered, by your minister — “Find a lonely place, and get some rest!”

How are you supposed to know who you are, how are you supposed to love, care, be there for someone else, discern what the God needs from you, if you never take time to be still, listen, and recharge?  I’m not saying you should shirk your responsibilities.  But, output requires input, work calls for rest, and caregivers should be the first to seek care.  How can you be a human being, if all you ever are is a human doing?!

You know the 23rd Psalm by heart — remember this part, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.”   Think about the pace of Jesus’ life — it seems non-anxious, thoughtful, unhurried.  When the disciples come to him in a panic because the townspeople are crowding around for healing, Jesus says, “Let’s move on to another town.”  After he heals someone, he gets up the next morning and goes off by himself to pray.

I have heard that in China the polite response when someone asks, “How are you?” is to say, “I am very busy, thank you.”  I guess I would love to hear people respond by saying, “I’m well rested, thank you.”  Recent studies show that the vast majority of Americans are sleep deprived.  And, sleep deprivation has a direct correlation with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and mental impairment.

Just before we moved to Deer Isle I was Senior Minister at the church in Cumberland.  The congregation was large and had a lot of very successful people, who worked 60 hours a week, filled all the boards at church, volunteered in the school, and expected their minister to do the same.  I quickly realized that if I did what was expected, I would never see Anne or my children.  I understood why the three previous pastors had all had affairs — they never took the time to be with their families.  I remember going to the church a half hour early one Wednesday night — the night when all the committees met — their were 14 of them!  I put a sign on the church door saying, “All meetings are canceled tonight.  This is a gift.  GO HOME!”  People were upset!  They didn’t know what to do with themselves.  They thought some important business might not get done!

In Genesis, God spends the better part of a week doing all that creating.  And God called all the things God created, “Good.”  But, on the seventh day God created the Sabbath, a day of rest, and that creation God called, “Holy!”  Before this summer is over, do something Holy for yourself, find a lonely place and get some rest!   Amen.