BREAK or broken (https://youtu.be/CN4HnCr3hEk)

Machines are amazing, they make work easy. I grew up in a very labor-intensive economy, use of hoes and pangas were the only help we had. Heavy loads of water and firewood were carried on the back or head. Life has changed so much in these last three decades, nonetheless, am aware that they are some people who are still very manual. Even with the current machines that ease on work, the machines need regular servicing, and some must be given a rest.

Someone was teasing me recently, God has put you on a forced rest, I hope you use it well. It has never been ideal for man to become a human doing rather than a human being. We sometimes get on non- stop work habits we can easily feel indispensable. God intends us to work from rest, not to rest from work. Jesus’ call in Mathew 11:28, 'Come unto me all of you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest'. I tell you the truth, if you died tomorrow someone else will do your work, but nobody else will ever be you.

This rest, in practical sense is sitting down and allowing our feet to be washed by Jesus, our first reaction to this is akin to that of Peter, No master, I need to be serving not to be served, Yet Jesus’ feeling is that if you are not served you cannot serve. If you are not cared for you will not care, if someone does not stoop low for you, you will not stoop low for another. A tree that is not connected to the branch cannot bear fruit.

When Jesus calls his disciples, he wants to be with them first and then he sends them out, not the other way round Mark 3:14, ' He appointed twelve that they might be with him......". He wants relationship first and responsibility later. We are so busy, we are slaves to our careers and work, we never receive yet we want to give. As it turns out we begin to give out harshness, frustration and arrogance. We have been brought home on a break-down truck, we have overheated and are into God’s garage for an overhaul. Let us enjoy the washing of our feet and the repairs and maintenance works.

How can we do spiritual re-engineering and develop spiritual formation practices so that we walk as spiritual people who receive from the spirit of God and impact our world with the fruit of the spirit. if there is anything on high demand it is the fruit of the spirit, Galatians 5:22-23: “But the Fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’. If somebody had this kind of resume, I would hire them immediately. These are rare personality traits that we get when we stay on the branch and feed from the same mineral salts that come from the Vine. No wonder Jesus asserts In John 15:4, ‘Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.’

As we go about our work, we look like players on the field that get caught up with the rhythm of the game and sometimes forget the coaches game plan and instructions. We keep hearing his voice on the sideline although that may not be enough. Most of the games I know there is a provision for half-time.

The Break or halftime is usually a game changer, the coach will have noticed where we did not do well, we must pay attention and get back rejuvenated but more importantly re-instructed. Breaks in life and at work are not optional otherwise we will break, be unfruitful and be cut from the vine or be towed to the garage.

The sabbath is mandatory, not the day but the rest. Jesus announcement in Matthew 11:28 is a call to himself which in turn is a call to rest. The chasing of wind and running after shadows gets us exhausted, let us re-engineer for spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is the ability to be transformed by God from inside out. If you don’t break (Rest) you will break (break down).

Eugene

https://youtu.be/CN4HnCr3hEk

https://youtu.be/CN4HnCr3hEk