Yes! It’s summer! I’m leaving in a few days to get away. I’m praying, planning, and hoping that this is a “Re-“ time. Let me share some words with you that will explain. Ready?
Re-connect, Renew, Recharge, Refresh, Recreate, Reflect, Redirect. I could go on. We all need to do and experience these things. When you “push” for an extended time so that you don’t regularly do these things, you wear out.
Think about a machine. It’s designed to perform at a certain level, to carry a certain load, if you will. That design is not the “max”. Manufacturers recommend a level of performance, load, so that the machine does it job well and avoids unnecessary maintenance and replacement of parts. This is called “normal”. There’s margin between “max” and “normal”. Included in its directions are recommendations to perform maintenance. When an operator of the machine pushes it to run at its “max” it will do it, for a while. But there will come a time when some part, some element, will finally fail and the machine quits working. Sometimes that happens with literally explosive results. Parts come flying off, maybe even doing damage to other machines, systems, or people around it.
Friend, you and I, we’re like that machine. We have to live within normal limits and provide some margin and time for maintenance. And you know what? Jesus knew this. He practiced it. In a part of the Bible called The Gospel of Mark, we’re told that Jesus would get up early, sunrise, and go to a quiet place away from people to pray. There, where He Reconnected by conversing with His Father, he would experience Renewal and be Recharged. Most of the time, I’m sure He came away Refreshed. But He also was able to Reflect on His mission, activities, and relationships. Having spent time with “Dad” and Reflected, He may have at times saw where He need to Redirect His cohorts or what he was doing so that He could “operate” at a proper load. Yes, even Jesus, the uniquely divine Son of God needed to rest.
I’m sure you’re way ahead of me. You may be thinking something like, “Brian, that sounds pretty cool.” Let me tell you, it is. When practiced regularly, especially daily, it transforms a person’s life for the better.
When a person has run themselves to the point that they breakdown, like that machine, it’s called burnout. That is a tough place to be, I’ve been there. In fact, if a person goes too far they can experience a complete spiritual, emotional, mental and physical breakdown.
So, me, I’m looking forward to Re-connect, Renew, Recharge, Refresh, Recreate, Reflect, Redirect. That Recreate, that means to be Re-created, to become new. It also means FUN! But listen, don’t wait for that vacation or that three-day weekend to do this. Let’s you and I determine to do this daily. Our lives will be transformed, and the world will be a better place.
Pastor Brian
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