Relaxed
“The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.”
Mark 2:27-28
I have a tendency to over plan our family’s vacations. Wanting to make the best of every moment, I map out our weekly agenda with such detail it would rival the logistical efficiency of an Amazon warehouse. Of course, such meticulous planning adds unintended pressure to our “restful” vacation. There’s urgency to pack in as many unique experiences as possible. Thankfully, over the years, my wife has helped me realize that less is more, especially while on vacation. So, now the bulk of our vacation time has no agenda at all. Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience while on vacation. In an ironic twist, your eagerness to maximize your rest actually induced more stress.
The Christian philosopher Dallas Willard was once asked, “If you had one word to describe Jesus, what would it be?” Willard answered, “Relaxed.”[1] Admittedly, this term would not have made my list of descriptors for Jesus, but Willard is absolutely right. Jesus was relaxed.
In Mark 2, we get a glimpse of Jesus’s relaxed nature when He and His disciples stroll through a field on the Sabbath. As they walked, they plucked bits of grain on which to snack. The Pharisees observed this and cried foul (that saw this as a violation of the Fourth Commandment), but Jesus sets them straight by saying, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.” Sabbath rest was built into the fabric of creation--God Himself rested after working for six days (Genesis 1). In Mark 2, Jesus expands our understanding of what this rest should look like. Rest shouldn’t be a burden; it shouldn’t be a source of stress or anxiety. Rest is God’s gift to us for our enjoyment and relaxation.
Jesus’ teaching here is a helpful corrective to the hurried and fast-paced culture in which we live. Don’t get me wrong, hard work is good, as is being an efficient steward of our time and resources. That said, rest and relaxation are also important. When we relax, we not only model the way Jesus lived, but we also reflect a spiritual centeredness. So, whatever happens today, remember that Jesus gives you permission to relax.
[1] Alan Fadling, An Unhurried Life. IVP, 2013.
