When do you rest? Fatigue in Modern Society is a book written by Paul Tournier several years ago. Dr.Tounier was a Swiss physician who practiced primarily as a psychotherapist. His small little book is interesting foreshadowing as it did modern society's tendency to go faster and faster with less and less rest. Today the average vacation in the United States is down to only eight days, the least in the industrialized countries of the world. And resting on those days is often interrupted with cellphones and emails in an attempt to make ourselves available and iindispensable. Jesus, although a tireless worker, was one of the best resters. He often took himself away from the maddening and demanding crowds to be alone with his Father and to rest and restore his spirit. I often think it is interesting and unusual to think of Jesus as God needing to get away to be with God. Almost sounds schizophrenic when you think about it until your realize he was also fully man as well as fully God and therefore subject to all the mental and physical fatigue of his daily life. Hebrews the fourth chapter talks about entering into God's rest. Sounds good to me. Six days God worked and then He rested. When do you rest?

 Helping Hearts Heal,
 Dr. Dan L. Boen

 When Peter got out of the boat I wonder if he had any idea what he was really doing when he was walking towards Jesus. The very sight of someone walking on the water had to blow his mind. We know he was impulsive, i.e. used the sword to cut off the guys ear when they came for Jesus, told Jesus he was the Son of God and later he shouldn't go to die. Do you think maybe he got in over his head literally and figuratively before he knew what he was doing? As long as he fixed his eyes on Jesus he was one of only two people we know of that ever walked on water. When he took his eyes off he went under. Even though he went down Jesus didn't let him drown. When we take our eyes off Jesus we too will go down under the cares of life and the pressures and stress of just trying to make it day by day, but if we look up He is there and He cares. And even if we don't have the strength to look up He won't let us drown. 

 When you wake up and start your day you may begin with varied emotions. You may be experiencing dread if you believe things are bad in your world or fear if you don't know what to do and things are out of your control. However, God has a different approach. His plan is to prosper and protect you. Things aren't always what they seem. The accident that causes you to miss your appointment and "seems" to mess up your day may be a divine appointment. The family tragedy that comes out of the blue and send your world spinning out of control may be God's providence for a better life. The illness that causes you pain and discomfort or the loss of a job or even disability may be God's redirecting your life. 

In the midst of the tragedy it is hard to know the outcome, but necessary to trust the author and finisher of our faith.