Swing With God
“And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”
– Exodus 33:14
Church,
Welcome to the beginning of June! As the summer officially kicks off, I must confess something; I do not enjoy the summer…at all. Not even the slightest of bits do I enjoy the summer. I didn’t enjoy it as a child either really. I believe it may come down to the fact that I truly hate to be hot, and, minus three years in Northern California, every place I have lived has been basically hot most of the time. But, as the year winds down for students, as a mom I see the wear on my two girls and how they truly do need this break. This pause in the routine and the buzz of activity and homework and constant schedules. This time where things are planned but mostly for fun, for time together, and for time with friends.
We don’t get these long summer breaks as we grow, but still, I am reminded that God built in times of rest since the beginning. In the creation of all that was and ever will be, God built in a day to simply rest. As a working mom with two children, four dogs (I’m literally crazy for that one), a husband, volunteer endeavors, and an entire house to run, being reminded to rest is not only a good thing but a needed thing for me.
I think all of us, really, can get caught up and fill the days from before daybreak to way past time to turn in. And being busy is not a bad thing, but never pausing to allow yourself to sit, to rest in the Father’s arms, and to just be for a while is not how God designed us. We will burn out. We will hit a point where our physical and mental selves say, “No more; we can do no more.”
So, if you need it, allow me to be your reminder that no matter where you are in your journey through life, we all need rest. And for me, the summer is that reminder. Even though it’s 412 degrees outside right now and there are plenty of things that can fill the schedules for the weeks ahead, don’t forget to pause. Take a break, put the mosquito repellent on, and, as my grandma used to say, “Come sit a while on the swing with me.” May we all remember to come sit a while on the swing with God this season.
Abigail Black