Jesus retired to a home and wanted no one to know
because he was exhausted…
From Mark 7:24
I admit that it takes me a day to reenergize after watching our two little grandsons. This is not a complaint, but rather an acknowledgement that I’m not as young as I used to be. I love watching the boys and am grateful that Grandpa and I can help out one day each week. Because their parents work from home and Grandpa and I are also staying-in-place, we’ve been able to do this safely throughout the pandemic. This is one of the bits of normalcy we’ve maintained over the past 300+ days!
We’ve kept ourselves busy in other ways as well. We’ve thoroughly cleaned our garage and several closets. We’ve worked a little in the basement, though not as much as we need to. Mike picked up a book he’d wanted to read for some time. I did the same while keeping these daily posts up to date and returning to my own book which is now two-thirds of the way complete. In the midst of all of this busyness, we’ve also found creative ways to exercise and to relax. I think we’ve actually become quite expert at revitalizing our bodies and our spirits!
As Mark observed in his gospel, Jesus became weary and tired just as we do. He longed for a bit of peace when he wasn’t needed by anyone or to do anything. This is the reason Jesus got into the habit of getting up before everyone else. He needed quiet time just as we sometimes do.
The moral of the story is this: Whether we’re suffering from overwork or from pandemic fatigue, we need to take the time replenish ourselves. Like Jesus, we need to restore our energy so was can care for those who need us.
Dear God, be with us when we work and when we rest.
©2021 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved