Dear friends,

For some, school time is already over. For others, final exams are just just around the corner. But most people now are excited about summer time; for it means vacation time — a time to rest and relax.

Yes, the Bible is teaching us to rest because rest is essential.

Our modern life is characterized as an “always busy” life. We crave that our phones will ring, an email will arrive, a notification from Facebook pops up or a Tweet will appear. We have fallen in love with multitasking as if we are Microsoft Windows. Sometimes, the irony is that because of our busyness, no work has been done. We are busy with meetings, and oftentimes we are lazy with the implementations. Nevertheless, management principles tell us that productive, effective and efficient workers are those that are well-rested. This is the reason why we have vacation breaks, paid leaves and so on.

The Bible says in Exodus 34:21 “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.”

What does rest means?

Rest is no idleness. Rest is best associated with re-creation. This is not entertainment per se but recreation means – to create again, to gain new ideas.

Rest is also about relaxation. Jesus said, “Do not worry…for who can add a single hour to his life by worrying?” None. To worry is subtract hours from our lives.

We also need to lighten up and find humor in life. As the saying says, “Laughter is the best medicine.” This saying is inspired by Proverbs 17:22 that says “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired” or in another translation “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”

To rest is also to retreat and commune with God. Jesus Christ would always retreat into the mountain alone to pray. This means that we need “alone time” in order to reflect and evaluate our lives. We also need to be patient when we pray — for prayer is awaiting the command of God.

Let us find time to rest.

Sincerely,

Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Acting Director
Office of Communications
Central Philippine University