INTRODUCTION
Rest is a neglected concept in our culture. We measure our lives by utility, efficiency, and output. Ours is a world that gets anxious about the GNP (gross national product) not GNR (gross national rest). And anxiety is exactly what we produce in our culture, along with frustration, anger, fear, envy, depression, exhaustion, and a whole host of emotional, physical, and spiritual ailments.
Rest has been woven into everything we have focused on the
last four weeks. Our relationship with
God is a love relationship that our spiritual practices nurture. Rest is a natural gift from our practices. We
fast so that we can let go of the compulsiveness and too much of our lives and then
rest in God’s love and goodness. We sit
on our porch swings of prayer for rest and refreshment, comfort and
conversation with God who delights in our company. We spend time in scripture so when we are
tempted to mistrust God, we can rest in knowing that God really does love us
and is the one who meets our needs in love.
Psalm 23, our scripture this week, is a profound gathering together of our Lent reflections. The words are so familiar. Read them this week with new eyes and ears.