Dead Phone
I walked into my mobile phone carrier’s local store a couple years back to find out why my phone had died and would neither come back on nor charge back up. Just a blank, black screen. It wouldn’t even try to come on.
I signed in, waited my turn and finally was able to speak with one of their trained professionals. He did all the things I had done to check it out.
Then he asked what seemed to me to be an absurd question… “When was the last time you turned it off & restarted it?” My reply was, “Never. Why would I turn it off? It’s my home phone as well as mobile phone. It has my email, internet & social media on it. I never turn it off.”
Problem Solved
He said, “I know what the problem is.” To which I replied, “Great! What is it?” He said, “You need to turn it off and restart it at least once a week. That helps it recalibrate its software, find new transmitting antennas, etc.”
He hooked it up to power, held buttons down for what seemed like forever, and it finally started back up. I was amazed.
Duh!
But I don’t know why I was amazed. Isn’t turning everything off once a week to recalibrate what God instituted from creation? Isn’t it what He instructed His people to do when He was giving them ten incredibly important rules to live by? And isn’t it what doctors say that our bodies and minds absolutely need in order to function at top performance?
Rest. Take a break and the workaholics in this world think you’re lazy. Take a day off or a vacation, and some will think you are frivolous. Take a nap in the middle of the day, and some will think you’ve lost your mind.
Made To Rest
But like my phone, God designed us to shut down and recalibrate. Maybe you have to work on Sunday… like preachers. Make Saturday your day of rest. Maybe you have to work two weeks on-two weeks off like folks in the oilfield industry. Maybe your work is seasonal like teachers. Take the summers off.
You don’t and won’t accomplish more by running yourself till your Maker shuts you off against your will. Just give it a rest. You’ll be glad you did.
Now, I’d love to hear how and when you relax. Please comment on this post and share it with others… you know, those people “who really need to hear this.” 😉
allenchapin.com 
I know I’m a little partial, but I really do enjoy these each day. And they have definitely been on point. This one is hard for us all, but it’s probably one of the most important things a pastor can do!
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Thanks, Brandon! I think that ministers (& probably doctors, etc.) all struggle with rest because we know the value & importance of what we “do.” So, to stop doing feels like we are risking eternity for someone else. Somehow, it would be great if we could recognize that God works in spite of us & can do it without us. Ha! Now let’s take a break. 😜
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