John 9:4-7
New International Version (NIV)
4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Aaaaand we're back. I've been gone a few days, and I'm sorry to have been a slacker. But I (think I) have had a pretty good excuse. Last weekend I headed up a tiiiiny little fundraiser with President George Bush. That's what I do in "real life". As you might imagine, it was an enormous job with lots and lots and lots of fun and very stressful requirements. I came home, not to a relaxing couple of days as I'd hoped, but to a sick (read: up-all-night) baby. And my hubby had surgery yesterday. It's been wild around the Eastep casa, to say the least.
Bren was feeling better today, and he let me sleep last night, so I'm feeling less zombie-like than I have in a week. So when I pulled out the scripture for tonight, I must say that I was a little bit taken aback but the topic. "Night is coming, when no man can work." When I read these verses, I always think of that song, "Work, for the night is coming, when man's work is done. Work as the day goes brighter, work blah blah blah blah..." I actually do like the song, but do you ever think, "I just. Can't. Do. Any. More." I'm at my limit, I'm over my limit, and there you singing me a song about work and work and work and work and work. What did Jesus mean here? Is there no room for rest?
Well, first of all, I had to go back and take a good look, and nowhere in these verses does it say (or imply) the words/feelings I've always associated with them; that I've-got-to-keep-going-even-though-I'm-about-to-pass-out sort of thing.
Are we called to work? Yes. Are we called to action? Certainly.
But what do we do during crazy, my-kid-is-sick-busiest-work-week-of-the-year-oh-and-the-hubs-is-having-surgery times of our lives? The more I think about it, the more I really believe that the key is considering those things a part of our work. Not in an add-more-stress kind of way, but in the sense that I must always be aware that my Christianity does not dissipate during those times. Instead, that should be where it shines. We've got to do our best to show grace and mercy and love during those imperfect life moments. And in that way, we will still be working toward that future and ultimate goal. People will see that peace and joy in us. And we will be the light of the world.
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Aaaaand we're back. I've been gone a few days, and I'm sorry to have been a slacker. But I (think I) have had a pretty good excuse. Last weekend I headed up a tiiiiny little fundraiser with President George Bush. That's what I do in "real life". As you might imagine, it was an enormous job with lots and lots and lots of fun and very stressful requirements. I came home, not to a relaxing couple of days as I'd hoped, but to a sick (read: up-all-night) baby. And my hubby had surgery yesterday. It's been wild around the Eastep casa, to say the least.
Bren was feeling better today, and he let me sleep last night, so I'm feeling less zombie-like than I have in a week. So when I pulled out the scripture for tonight, I must say that I was a little bit taken aback but the topic. "Night is coming, when no man can work." When I read these verses, I always think of that song, "Work, for the night is coming, when man's work is done. Work as the day goes brighter, work blah blah blah blah..." I actually do like the song, but do you ever think, "I just. Can't. Do. Any. More." I'm at my limit, I'm over my limit, and there you singing me a song about work and work and work and work and work. What did Jesus mean here? Is there no room for rest?
Well, first of all, I had to go back and take a good look, and nowhere in these verses does it say (or imply) the words/feelings I've always associated with them; that I've-got-to-keep-going-even-though-I'm-about-to-pass-out sort of thing.
Are we called to work? Yes. Are we called to action? Certainly.
But what do we do during crazy, my-kid-is-sick-busiest-work-week-of-the-year-oh-and-the-hubs-is-having-surgery times of our lives? The more I think about it, the more I really believe that the key is considering those things a part of our work. Not in an add-more-stress kind of way, but in the sense that I must always be aware that my Christianity does not dissipate during those times. Instead, that should be where it shines. We've got to do our best to show grace and mercy and love during those imperfect life moments. And in that way, we will still be working toward that future and ultimate goal. People will see that peace and joy in us. And we will be the light of the world.
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